VA outpatient clinic to open in Garner

The 244,860-square-foot clinic will be built on 17 acres on N.C. Highway 50 between Rand Road and Arbor Greene Drive, reducing the need for veterans in Wake County to travel to Durham or Fayetteville for care. No opening date was announced.

“The Durham VA Health Care System values our local community partners’ efforts in helping us to keep the nation’s promise to our veterans,” Executive Director Paul Crews said in a statement. “The new outpatient facility will employ nearly 400 VA employees, ranging from administrative support to health-care providers. It will offer primary care and mental-health services to nearly 25,000 veterans annually from Wake County and surrounding areas."

Limited specialty services may include cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, pulmonology, pathology, audiology and speech, rehabilitation medicine and imaging services, including CT and MRI scanning. A pharmacy and eye clinic could also be a part of the facility. VA officials said specialty services could change based on demand and need at the facility.

“We are excited about the development and construction of a modern, state-of-the-art facility that will allow the Durham VA Health Care System to ensure that veterans who choose VA receive the highest-quality care. This facility will allow us to provide veterans with the right care, in the right place, at the right time,” Fred Roche, administrator of the new facility, said in a statement.

“This facility will be a great addition to our community. We are proud that the Town of Garner will be known throughout the region as a hub for veterans’ health-care services,” Mayor Ken Marshburn said in a statement. “Our veterans deserve the finest of care, and I’m confident that this new facility will provide outstanding care to the men and women who have served our country in the armed forces."