Noteboom The Law Firm

Franklin, N.C. Clinic the Future of VA Clinics

June 30, 2010 - Two years ago the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) established a community-based outpatient clinic in Franklin, North Carolina. Despite being so young, the clinic is working at full capacity. It is a testament to the VA's service delivery model that the clinic employs 3 doctors full-time, and all carry full dockets. 

Dr. Ramsey is the Director of the Franklin clinic. According to him, community-based outpatient clinics are so progressive he considers them the "future of the VA medical system." Given the rate soldiers are rotating back to the U.S., Ramsey fully expects to see that Western North Carolina will require more of them. The ultimate question will be how to handle the sheer number of soldiers requiring aid.

The basic premise of community based outpatient clinics is to provide interconnected outpatient services. These clinics are usually located to prevent veterans from traveling hundreds of miles to receive services from distant VA clinics. Beyond that, however, is the feeling of community created by bringing veterans together in such a setting.

Doctors Newberry and Ramsey work at the Franklin VA clinic. In getting there, they followed a path gaining popularity: practicing medicine privately before transferring over to the new, more cutting edge health care model offered by VA clinics.

Community based outpatient clinics practice integrated medicine; certainly an attractive model to any doctor interested in a more cutting edge health care model. Approaching treatment as a team has become a growing national trend. To accomplish this task, the Franklin VA clinic employs:

• 3 full-time doctors (1 is a psychiatrist);
• 1 full-time psychologist;
• 1 registered nurse; and
• 2 social workers.

Integrated health care is more than just multiple health professionals in one spot; it necessarily demands various services as well. Along with the primary and mental health care, the Franklin clinic also provides an eye clinic and a laboratory. Combining everything together not only saves traveling time, it relieves the larger clinics of their patient loads. These clinics are smaller, more intimate, and much more attractive to many veterans.