VA looks to expand busy New London clinic
New London - The Department of Veterans Affairs is looking to expand its outpatient clinic here, the busiest in the state, in order to serve more veterans.
The John J. McGuirk VA Outpatient Clinic, which focuses on primary and mental health care, is housed in a 4,900-square-foot office in Shaw’s Cove. The VA is hoping to almost double the size of the clinic.
But at this point, it’s not clear whether there would be an expansion of the existing office that houses the clinic, or whether the clinic would be relocated. The VA is expected to solicit proposals for the project next spring.
A bigger space will allow the VA to provide increased capacity for primary care and mental health services, more social work staff and add telehealth services, said Ross Hildonen, assistant director of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System.
The addition of telehealth is the “real exciting piece,” Hildonen said, explaining local veterans could connect with providers at the VA campuses in West Haven or Newington, or elsewhere within the VA.
More than 4,600 veterans received treatment at the clinic during the last fiscal year. That’s a slight increase from the 4,517 veterans served in fiscal year 2015. The VA would like to see a "significant increase" in the number of veterans it serves, Hildonen said.
Connecticut is home to about 200,000 veterans with more than 24,000 living in New London County, according to Census data.
U.S. Rep Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, said the expansion of the clinic was the first issue to be discussed at a meeting with VA officials in West Haven last week. He said the community will have the opportunity to weigh in on the expansion.
The clinic seeing the highest volume of patients show "people are voting with their feet as far as the care they're getting, Courtney said, adding that it's a "good sign that people want to use it."
The New London clinic was relocated from the Coast Guard Academy to its current location in 2007. It isn't the only clinic that the VA is targeting for expansion. The VA says several of its other clinics will need to relocate to larger spaces.
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