History was made earlier this month at the Fort Smith VA Clinic in Arkansas.
The staff of the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks (VHSO) opened the doors of a brand new, state-of-the-art, 34,000-square-foot facility at 5700 Phoenix Place on April 11.
“We are dedicated to doing everything we possibly can to do the right thing for those who served us,” said interim Medical Center Director Kimberly Lane in a VA blog post.
The new clinic will serve approximately 10,000 veterans and offers a variety of new health care services, including a Patient-Aligned Care Team model for primary care, an increase of exam rooms from nine to 27, laboratory, audiology, and optometry with an optical shop.
“I think it’s a wonderful place,” said World War II Marine veteran Hersel Williams, who was the first patient to be seen at the new clinic. “It’s all-new. I’m proud to be one of the first patients.”
The Fort Smith VA Clinic had called a 19,000-square-foot location at Baptist Health home for more than two decades. With more veterans living in and around the River Valley and the need for additional health care services, a new location was included in VA’s capital planning process.
Related
The new facility also provides radiology services for computed tomography (CT) scans, X-ray, ultrasound, expanded telehealth capabilities like tele-retinal, expanded mental health services, a room for group therapy, substance abuse program space and an expanded women’s health area.
According to the blog post, that means veterans will have faster test results and improved access to care without having to drive to the main campus in Fayetteville, more than 60 miles away.
Convenience and comfort were key in the design of the new structure, with the women veterans’ space receiving special attention. It’s much larger and focuses on the patient experience and specific needs of women veterans, who represent the fastest-growing population at Ozarks VA and in many areas across the country.
The new clinic also meets Green Globe Certification standards.
Related
VHSO provides health care services at eight locations in northwest Arkansas, southwest Missouri and eastern Oklahoma. Facilities include the Fayetteville VA Medical Center and seven community-based outpatient clinics in Fort Smith, Harrison, and Ozark, Arkansas; Branson, Springfield, and Joplin, Missouri; and Jay, Oklahoma.
Ozarks VA was recently named one of Arkansas’ best hospitals for patient experience by Becker’s Hospital Review.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.