The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs plans to open four new outpatient clinics in the Houston area, and to serve the Veterans of the Richmond and Rosenberg areas a medical office and outpatient clinic will open in Richmond, TX. This is according to a release issued from the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center (MEDVAMC) in Houston on Tuesday December 8.

The nearly 10,000 sq ft facility is set to open during the summer of 2010, just southeast of the OakBend Medical Center Williams Way Campus which opened in October 2009 on U.S. 59. The new Richmond clinic will be staffed by VA personnel and will offer outpatient services to veterans, including primary health care, laboratory and x-ray services, and mental health care.

With 78 physicans from the MEDVAMC being recognized by the medical knowledge company, Best Doctors, Inc. as The Best Doctors in America this is just another opportunity for the VAMC to offer quality care to Texas Veterans. “I am very pleased with this recognition of our physicians’ clinical excellence by Best Doctors,” said J. Kalavar, M.D., MEDVAMC chief of staff. “This is yet another indicator the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center continually strives to offer the highest quality health care possible for veterans living in southeast Texas.”

Other Southwest Texas cities set to welcome new VA clinics will be Lake Jackson, Katy and Tomball, with hopes that the Texas City location will be reopened as well. The MEDVAMC currently has clinics in Houston, Beaumont, Conroe, Galveston, and Lufkin serving over 900,000 patients just in the 2009 fiscal year. The MEDVAMC in Houston boasts of 37 staff physicians on the Best Doctors in America 2009-2010 list, along with 41 physician consultants and attending physicians.

In order to develop a ‘Class A’ facility to meet the needs of Richmond patients, the VA has hired McShane Development Company’s Healthcare Division based out of Rosemont, IL, to develop the site. This is good fit according to Stephen M. Doyle, Vice President of McShane Development Company’s Healthcare Division, “McShane is well versed in the development of medical office properties, and we always are committed to delivering a Class A product on behalf of our client and the numerous patients who will utilize this state-of-the-art facility.” The building will match the service as the opening of four new clinics will allow the MEDVAMC to serve more patients in more locations with the exemplary care seen over the years.

For more information please visit: http://www.houston.va.gov

Source: www.fbherald.com