Site announced for new VA clinic

By WAYNE QUESENBERRY/Staff

After months of scouting potential locations for a community based outpatient clinic in Wytheville, the Veterans Administration has picked a site. The VA will construct a new building at 100 Peppers Ferry Road on the vacant lot between Rite Aid and East End Cemetery.
U.S. Representative Rick Boucher made the announcement Friday morning. He said construction of the community based outpatient clinic is tentatively scheduled to begin in January with the clinic opening next summer.
“One of my highest priorities is ensuring the availability of high quality, easily accessible health care for our region’s veterans,” Boucher said in a press release. “To that end, I have been working closely with the Veterans Administration for the purpose of establishing more outpatient clinics for veterans in our region. I am pleased to report today that, at my urging, a new clinic will soon be located in Wytheville.”
The Veterans Administration acknowledged last spring that a clinic had been approved for Wythe County. A spokesman said several sites were being considered including leasing an existing building and new construction.
The VA estimates approximately 13,500 veterans live in this service area, which includes the counties of Wythe, Bland, Carroll, Floyd, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski and Mercer County, W.Va. It anticipates some 3,500 veterans will seek care at the Wytheville clinic.
Management and staffing of the clinic will be the responsibility of the Salem VA Medical Center. Staffing will be set according to the number of patients enrolled.
The clinic will provide comprehensive primary care services including the management of acute and chronic disease processes, mental health services, health promotion, maintenance and education for area veterans.
Wayne Quesenberry can be reached at 228-6611 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).