VA clinic opens Tuesday

Opening Tuesday, the VA clinic is located next to Elmore Medical Center on North 6th East Street. Photo by Brian S. Orban

After nearly 18 months of delays, compounded by unexpected complications and staffing issues, the Boise VA Medical Center will open its new clinic in Mountain Home Tuesday.

Previously expected to open the summer of 2009, the regional Veterans Administration agency finished its last hurdle earlier this month to install secure communications lines between the clinic and the regional medical center.

Open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, the veterans' outpatient clinic at 815 North 6th East St. will function similar to a primary care clinic at Mountain Home Air Force Base, said Josh Callihan, a VA spokesman in Boise.

Located next to Elmore Medical Center, it would provide diagnosis and treatment of routine illnesses and medical issues. In addition, patients gain access to foot care, weight loss programs, diabetes education, basic nurse care and lab work along with computer access to VA programs.

The clinic doesn't offer emergency or urgent care services. In addition, those needing speciality, surgical or long-term medical care would likely continue using the Boise medical center, VA officials said.

For now, the local clinic will have a limited staff of one nurse, one clerk and one behavioral health social worker available from Monday through Friday. The clinic's sole doctor is available Tuesdays and Thursdays.

"There are an estimated 3,000 eligible veterans living in the Elmore County area who would directly benefit from this VA clinic," Callihan said.

Patients already enrolled to use the Mountain Home clinic will gradually transfer their medical records from the regional medical center in Boise. Those who enroll after Tuesday will automatically be scheduled for care at the clinic here.

The 366th Medical Group at the nearby base currently provides routine medical care for approximately 850 military retirees and 350 veterans in the local area. However, the addition of a VA medical center in Mountain Home won't significantly impact the number of routine, same-day appointments the base hospital offers, according to a medical group spokesman.

"We forecast no change in our demand with the addition of the VA clinic in Mountain Home," said 2nd Lt. Michael A. Bower.

On a given day, active duty members at the base constitute about 45 percent of available routine and speciality care appointments at the base hospital. The remaining appointments go to veterans, retirees and their families as well as families of the base's active duty workforce, according to Bower.

Local veterans interested in transferring their care from the Boise VA Medical Center to the expansion clinic here should contact Bonnie Barnett at 422-1111 after 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Other veterans interested in enrolling for health care through the VA should contact the administration's business office at 422-1096, 422-1220 or 422-1224.

Plans to bring this clinic to Mountain Home are part of the VA's continuing push to open regional clinics across southern Idaho, officials said. The Boise medical center opened a similar veterans clinic in Twin Falls more than 10 years ago and put another in Caldwell about four years ago. The regional medical center also opened similar clinics in Salmon, Idaho, and Burns, Ore.

The regional veterans' agency plans to hold a formal dedication ceremony at the Mountain Home clinic in coming weeks.