A new Veterans Health Administration clinic that will serve this area will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday in West Plains.
The event is at noon, March 13, at 1418 Doctors Drive.
It is in the Howell Valley Medical Complex. The current VA clinic is on Route K near Trinity Center.
The new building — constructed over about 13 months — covers almost 20,000 square feet.
“As an Army veteran who uses VA health care myself, I am deeply committed to the well-being of veterans in the West Plains area,” said Kevin Bass, medical center director. “We’re thrilled to move into this new, state-of-the-art facility and continue providing you with the exceptional care you deserve.”
Staff will transition to the new clinic March 16-17. If veterans need medical care during that period, call VA’s Tele-Emergency Care number at 888-557-8262 and select option 3. This service is available 24 hours a day. Veterans with appointments scheduled on or after March 18 will be seen at the new location.
The new, 19,140-square-foot facility will be 85% larger than the current clinic, said Associate Director Libby Johnson.
“The additional space will give us an opportunity to offer new things, while improving the flow and efficiency of care,” Johnson said. “Our healthcare teams will be co-located for increased communication and efficiency.”
Modern technology at the new facility, Johnson said, will improve care and efficiency, while aligning with modern trends in healthcare and providing what rural veterans need and want.
“We are getting a new X-ray machine, plus new technology and space for tele-dermatology, tele-audiology and tele-spirometry,” she said. “Also, new equipment in the laboratory will give us the opportunity to provide some on-site, point-of-care testing.”
An important priority for VA, Johnson noted, is expanding specialty care options for rural veterans, and the new clinic will provide options to do so.
“We are expanding our chiropractic service, and our physical therapy department now will have a full gym,” she said.
A new service called Cardio Vet will provide coordinated, quality heart care, including screenings, EKGs, echocardiograms, consultations and medication management at the clinic, reducing the need for unnecessary travel.
“We’ll also have space to offer additional specialties in the future,” Johnson said. “However, we encourage new veterans to enroll for VA healthcare so we can continue to expand our service offerings.”