RONCEVERTE, W.Va. — Easy access, lots of parking and wide hallways were just three of several new features lauded Monday at the ribbon cutting for the Greenbrier VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Ronceverte.
The former clinic was closed in 2015 because of numerous problems with the building. Members of West Virginia’s congressional delegation including U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito along with Third District Congressman Evan Jenkins received a commitment from then-VA Secretary Robert McDonald that a new clinic would be built. Following several months in a temporary clinic in Lewisburg, the new clinic opened late last week.
The clinic, which is connected to the Beckley VA Medical Center, offers a full of range of primary services, Beckley VA Medical Center Director Stacy Vasquez told MetroNews Monday.
“It lets us have space for our folks that do home-based primary care and telehealth, as well,” Vasquez said, adding the facility also offers clinical pharmacy services.
Manchin, Capito and Jenkins attended Monday’s ribbon cutting.
“They really worked very hard on behalf of veterans to secure a commitment (from McDonald),” Vasquez said. “That was prior to me coming here but once I got here my responsibility was to actually build it and get it open.”
Vasquez expects the approximately dozen full-time staff members will see at least 1,200 patients a year.
“In that area there’s a high demand for veteran care, absolutely,” she said.
The staff will take walk-ins also. The clinic is located 228 Shamrock Lane in Ronceverte. It’s opens from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The Beckley VA Medical Center also oversees a VA clinic in Princeton.