"Happy Memorial Day" VA clinics just become memories?

Who thought closing VA clinics was a good idea?

VA clinic closes as Memorial Day weekend begins 

KVOE News
By Chuck Samples
May 26, 2019

The Veterans Administration's outpatient medical clinic in Emporia has officially closed.

The clinic, which offered primary care like vaccinations, behavioral health and telemedicine, closed Friday -- just before the start of the Memorial Day weekend. The closure was announced in February, shortly after area veterans were told about the move.

The VA has told KVOE News the facility did not have enough patient traffic to keep it open. The clinic averaged less than 10 appointments for the two days it was open per week, and the VA says the combination of appointments, schedules and number of local veterans available for services -- 260 at most -- led to a 49 percent efficiency rate for the clinic, below the VA standard of 70 percent.

Veterans have medical options if they were getting care at the clinic. They can get their health care services at the Topeka VA campus or other appropriate VA medical centers. If they qualify, they can also take advantage of the VA Mission Act of 2018 to receive care through non-VA providers as part of the Community Care program.

Veterans can call 785-350-3111 ext. 54348 with questions.
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BRUNSWICK COUNTY VA CLINIC TO LOSE ONLY IN-HOUSE DOCTOR

By WWAY News - May 23, 2019

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The Brunswick County VA Clinic is about to lose its only in-house doctor without a replacement lined up. One employee says the facility is already overwhelmed with patients.

A VA worker, who requested to remain anonymous, says the veterans affairs clinic in Supply has known this for five months and did nothing.

“I am not here as a VA employee,” the worker said. “I am here as a veteran, wanting to make sure my fellow veterans are fully taken care of, and not forgotten, or dropped off. Some of these veterans have been waiting for over 100 days for an appointment that keeps getting canceled and rescheduled. Some of these veterans, we’ve had veterans in such pain, they’re laying on the floor.”
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Cobb veterans welcome new clinic amid uncertainty over VA plans

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By Meris Lutz,
May 16, 2019

The Department of Veterans Affairs celebrated the opening of the first of four new clinics in Cobb County Thursday as the agency prepares to expand and shift services in the county.

The $1.2 million, 9,400-square-foot facility on Roswell Road in east Cobb will offer mainly primary care and is one of several facilities replacing a clinic in Austell, which had been Cobb’s only facility and is now slated to be closed.Veterans who spoke to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution expressed hope the new facility would improve veteran care, even as some raised concerns over the lack of public transit access to the new clinic and ongoing communication problems with the VA.

They also pointed out that closing the Austell clinic could pose problems for veterans in the southern part of the county who will now have to travel farther to see a doctor.
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