| Veterans
News Flash 
VA
Launches Expansion in
Veterans Health Facilities
June 26, 2008
Peake: 44 New Clinics Bring Care Closer to Home
WASHINGTON – Secretary
of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake today
announced plans to create 44 new community-based
outpatient clinics to bring the world-class health
care of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
closer to home for veterans in 21 states.
"VA continues to make access to care easier
through an expanding outpatient system focused
not only on primary treatment but also prevention
of disease, early detection, and health promotion," Peake
said.
The new clinics, scheduled to be activated over
the next 15 months, will increase VA's network
of independent and community-based clinics to 782,
an increase of more than 100 in five years.
This growth in community clinics has helped VA
meet veterans' expectations for prompt, quality
service, with 98 percent of veterans seen within
30 days in all types of VA primary care facilities
throughout the country.
In addition to on-site primary care staff, today's
modern outpatient clinics frequently feature state-of-the-art
telehealth systems permitting veterans to maintain
regular contact with doctors in specialties from
cardiac care to mental health at regional VA hospitals
linked for video consultations, coupled with telemetry
of health data or images.
A highly acclaimed national health records system
allows practitioners at even remote clinics to
review patient records stored at VA facilities
anywhere in the country.
VA's 21 regional networks develop applications
for new clinics in consideration of reducing the
distance veterans travel to their nearest VA hospital
or clinic, as well as local demand, existing hospital,
clinic workload and other factors.
The planned sites for
VA’s new outpatient
clinics are:
Alabama (2) -- Marshall County, Wiregrass
Alaska -- Matanuska-Susitna Borough area
Arkansas (2) -- Ozark, White County
California -- East Bay-Alameda County area
Florida -- Summerfield
Georgia (4) -- Baldwin County, Coweta County, Glynn
County, Liberty County
Indiana (2) -- Miami County, Morgan County
Iowa -- Wapello County
Louisiana (5) -- Lake Charles, Leesville, Natchitoches,
St. Mary Parish, Washington Parish
Maine -- Lewiston-Auburn area
Minnesota (2) -- Douglas County, Northwest Metro
Missouri -- Franklin County
New Mexico -- Rio Rancho
North Carolina (2) -- Robeson County, Rutherford
County
North Dakota -- Grand Forks County
Ohio -- Gallia County
Oklahoma (4) -- Altus, Craig County, Enid, Jay
Tennessee (3) -- Giles County, Maury County, McMinn
County
Texas (5) -- Katy, Lake Jackson, Richmond, Tomball,
El Paso County
Virginia (3) -- Augusta County, Emporia, Wytheville
West Virginia -- Greenbrier County
SOURCE:
US Department of Veterans Affair
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