Local vets tour new VA clinic

SHEFFIELD — Lorain County's new Veterans Affairs clinic will take its first appointments next week. Final touches are being put on the building before its first appointment July 7. The current facility next door will have its last day Thursday. Local veterans organization leaders were able to tour the new facility Tuesday. It's more than 25,000 square feet, an increase of available space by nearly 3,000 square feet. The new clinic has been under construction for more than a year with its groundbreaking in December 2019. The cost was estimated at $20 million. Radiology services once again will be provided at the new location with the potential for other new services. The property is next door to the current outpatient clinic on North Abbe Road. It's the result of a 20-year lease agreement with Carnegie Management and Development to develop the property. The VA leases its current space from the same company. The clinic moved out of Lorain and into Sheffield in June 2016. The Lorain County Outpatient Clinic serves more than 7,600 veterans annually. The facility next door will be demolished to make way for more parking. Jacob Smith, executive director of the Lorain County Veterans Services Commission, said leaders have an obligation to make sure veterans have VA health care if they need it. He encouraged the veterans present to encourage others to take advantage of what the VA offers and offer incentives for veterans to sign up. LCVSC is offering veterans a free cup if veterans file a claim with their organization. Dave Chmielewski, facility telehealth coordinator of the VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System, said the new facility is designed to be more convenient for the veterans coming in. Jose Salcedo, deputy director of outpatient care at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, said the goal of the new building is to be as patient-focused as possible. There is a patient corridor that leads to the exam rooms and behind the exam rooms are the cubicles for the staff, called the team room. There are three types of rooms for veterans in the building: exam rooms, consultation rooms and mental health rooms. Salcedo said there are noise-reduction provisions in the building, so patients will have privacy in their rooms. He also said there will be two rooms dedicated for women's health, which will also double as procedure rooms since they are larger and include a toilet. Stephen Bansek, president of the LCVSC commissioners, said it's important for leaders to help veterans get help for themselves. Bansek said it's easy for pride to get in the way before asking for help. "It's there for you," Bansek said. "You've earned every bit of it from us, from this establishment, from Uncle Sam. You've earned what is out there for you." Contact Laina Yost at (440) 329-7121 or lyost@chroniclet.com.