Opening day set for new VA clinic

pressreporter@thefranklinpress.com

For area veterans needing primary care services closer to home, the waiting and anticipation is finally over.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Franklin Community-based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) will be held 3:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 18, at the site's location on 647 Wayah Street in Franklin.

The CBOC, which will serve the six westernmost counties, is slated to start seeing patients on Wednesday, Aug. 20, according to Gene Morris, public affairs officer with the Charles George VA Medical Center at Asheville.

Daniel F. Hoffmann, director, VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network, VISN-6, will be the keynote speaker at the Aug. 18 ceremony and Dr. Susan Pendergrass, director of the Charles George VA Medical Center, will speak as well.

The event will include appearances from U.S. Sen. Richard Burr-R (who will also speak), U.S. Congressman Heath Shuler-D and a representative from Elizabeth Dole's-R office (will read a letter from Dole). Area civic leaders from Macon and some of the other five counties served by the clinic will also attend.

Refreshments will be offered as well as tours of the facility, according to Morris. General F.P "Bodie" Bodenheimer donated the building, which formerly housed an early childhood education center.

Parking for the event will be available at Franklin High School across the street and a shuttle will run between the school and the clinic for those who need it. The FHS Panthers band will play music and local military organizations will be on hand for a posting of colors.

Morris said that due to the anticipated August heat, they will do their best to keep the ceremony within an hour if possible.

When it opens its doors Aug. 20, the Franklin CBOC will operate Monday-Friday, with initial clinic hours of 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. However, staffing and patients served will ultimately dictate clinic hours, Morris said.

The CBOC will have three primary teams, and approximately 30 VA staff members.

Enrollment process

The Charles George VA Medical Center is examining the patient population in the areas the Franklin CBOC will serve (Macon, Jackson, Swain, Cherokee, Clay and Graham), that is already enrolled in Asheville's VA to see if they are eligible and would benefit from a transfer to Franklin.

For instance, a person who needs specialty care would likely stay with the Charles George VA. And even those who require primary care, but would prefer to stay with their Asheville doctor can remain there if they so choose.

The CBOC will provide primary care services, optometry and mental health; other services will still be done at Charles George VA.

Any other questions on enrollment procedures can be addressed at the Franklin clinic when it opens, as they will direct veterans to the appropriate place, Morris said.