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The Atlanta VA Health Care System is committed to increasing access of services for our Veterans. That is why the VA awarded a 20-year lease for a Multi-Specialty Outpatient Clinic in Pike County, GA, during the week of September 16.
The 49,175 net usable square foot facility will deliver care to Pike County area Veterans in a state-of-the-art and energy efficient health care facility. The new clinic will serve over 271,000 Veterans. The lease was awarded to the Molasky Group of Companies and VA currently anticipates completion of the facility in the spring of FY 2022.
“This facility will increase access and ensure that our Veterans continue to receive the high-quality health care that they have earned and deserve,” said Ann Brown, Atlanta VA Health Care System Director.
“We are always trying to improve services for our Veterans, and the new Pike County Multi-Specialty Outpatient Clinic will help us do just that,” Ms. Brown added.
[Note from the Editor: I cannot find out the official location of the clinic until October 16th which is 30 days after the award of the September 16th bid. (Yes, I tried.) This is a process that each location goes through after the award of the bid. There is another article below that goes into more details from the proposal itself, but no location will be given until an official press release on or after October 16th.
The number one question that I am being asked (and I asked too as the daughter and wife of a veteran) is whether veterans tied to the Dublin VA Hospital will be able to use this facility. I imagine that there will be MUCH more information about the clinic as it is built and goes through the opening process so this should become more clear as time goes on. The short answer is that veterans should have a talk with their provider about their care through the MISSION Act. After the clinic is built and the services that will be offered here are known, each veteran's healthcare provider will then be able to help veterans choose their healthcare providers. To read more about this opportunity, you can click here: https://missionact.va.gov/.]
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By Editor Becky Watts
ZEBULON - Citizens and veterans been waiting for two years to hear the final details of the VA Clinic that is scheduled to be opened here in Pike County. Andy Bush, District Director in the Office of Congressman Drew Ferguson (GA-03), gave some new details to Pike County Times today along with information that has been released to the public already.
Director Bush advised that their office was contacted by a Congressional Relations Officer of the Department of Veterans Affairs who advised the following: "It’s been a long time coming, but they’re going to award the lease within the next 30 days. Attached is a fact sheet on the project for your reference. Activation is anticipated to occur in 2nd Quarter 2021."
The location of the property for this outpatient clinic with 350 parking spaces and approximately 49,175 square feet is anticipated to be released by mid September. "This project would expand Primary Care by adding additional Patient Aligned Care Treatment (PACT) modules, and expand and enhance Mental Health services by utilizing the Behavioral Healthcare Interdisciplinary Program's (BHIP) team-based care approach," says the enclosure for the Outpatient Clinic Lease in Support of the Atlanta, Georgia VA Medical Center.
The proposal begins by saying, "This proposal provides for a new Outpatient Clinic lease in the vicinity of Pike County, GA for clinical services in support of the Atlanta Medical Center and the Dublin VA Medical Center." It continues by saying that this clinic will allow "easier access to care for Veterans living in rural communities who currently must travel long distances to receive services at either the Atlanta or the Dublin VAMCs" and that the proposed lease "would allow the Department to open a new facility in a timely an efficient manner, and provide Veterans in the Atlanta/Dublin area better access to high-quality, reliable health care."
"This project addresses space and utilization gaps and would enhance Veteran health care services in the Atlanta/Dublin market... With this new lease, sufficient space will be available to provide the necessary Primary Care, Specialty Care, and Mental Health capacity to help ensure Veterans have timely access to high-quality care."
Pike County Times has asked the question whether veterans who are tied to the Dublin VA Medical Center could use this Atlanta VA Medical Center when this Medical Center opens around the 2nd quarter of 2021. A definitive answer has not been given yet. However, seeing the words "Atlanta/Dublin" in this proposal sounds rather hopeful!
And with changes to healthcare in the MISSION Act that were enacted on June 6, 2019, access to health care now includes the VA’s network and as well as approved non-VA medical providers using Veterans' VA coverage. To read more about the MISSION Act, click here.
Pike County Times will continue to follow up on the Pike County VA Center as information becomes available.
Thank you to First Bank of Pike for sponsoring Pike County Times’ Breaking News Alerts! First Bank of Pike has been serving customers in Pike County and the surrounding area since 1901 and offers Personal and Business banking with a personal touch. Services include checking, savings, money market, certificates of deposit, and IRA’s. Mobile Banking and Bill Payment services are also available! Click here for more. Please let First Bank of Pike know that you appreciate their sponsorship of Breaking News Alerts on Pike County's only FREE online newspaper!
If you want to find out about how you can get Breaking News Alerts, click here. Thanks for reading and supporting Pike County Times.com!