Delaware’s senators toured the new VA outpatient clinic in Dover. It’s expected to make it easier for veterans to access quality healthcare in Kent County.
The new 30,000 square foot clinic in the Blue Hen Mall will offer a wide variety of new services the old clinic could not.
Wilmington VA Medical Center director Vince Kane says this new facility is part of the VA’s commitment to constantly improve their healthcare services.
“They raise their right hand to serve, to protect and sacrifice their lives for us. And the least we can do in showing our gratitude is to ensure they access to exceptional healthcare by caring providers who clearly recognize the value of veterans in our community,” said Kane,
Sen. Tom Carper (D-Delaware) says when he left the Navy, the quality of VA care was much poorer, especially in Delaware. There was only one facility in Wilmington, and he says some doctors told him not to waste his time with the VA.
Carper says the VA’s level of care has improved significantly since he first used it.
“The kind of care that folks will get here, it would have put the old hospital to shame all those years ago," said Carper. "Today we can be proud of this, we can be proud of our veterans and grateful for their service to make sure we have a democracy.”
The new facility is more than triple the size of the old clinic just two miles away - and offers services veterans previously received elsewhere, such as an eye and hearing care. It also has more primary care and mental health exam rooms.
The facility also has dedicated space for telehealth appointments, which are growing in popularity for patients working with specialists
VA officials say the facility is designed to be a one stop shop for veterans in Kent County, reducing the need to refer them to outside providers, or send them to the Wilmington VA Hospital.
Kane says construction is on schedule, and the new facility should open in late December or early next year.
