Fort Meade and Hot Springs VA hospitals on chopping block

STURGIS — The Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital in Hot Springs is on the chopping block again, and so is the one at Fort Meade.

In a confidential call Friday to employees, Rob McDivitt, VISN 23 director, outlined a plan to close the hospitals at Fort Meade and Hot Springs, turning them into clinics.

“These are their plans: they will turn the full-service VA hospitals in Fort Meade and Hot Springs into clinics; the Sioux Falls VA hospital will lose its emergency services; and the clinic in Wagner will completely close,” reported Gov. Kristi Noem in a prepared statement.

Official news from the VA w...