Ann Arbor VA opens specialty clinics to improve health care access for veterans
January 01, 2018
Michigan veterans now have enhanced access to health care and different types of treatment with the recent opening of two clinics in Ann Arbor, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The new locations aim to provide veterans with convenient access to a range of services.
In November, the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System opened a 10,000-square-foot specialty clinic for sleep studies and dermatology as part of its expansion plans. It followed the inauguration of a facility for audiology and mental health services in October. The VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System is now focusing on rapidly expanding neurology services, primary care and its women’s clinic.
According to Ann Arbor VA spokesman Brian Hayes, the new location provides extra space and resources that allow the VA to meet the needs of more veterans. Since its opening, the clinic has been serving up to 60 veterans each day, along with their family members. The VA is expecting the number of appointments to increase.
“We are growing two percent to four percent each year,” said Hayes. “We have 70,000 vets come in each year with 800,000 appointments each year. Our budget is increasing, and we will grow more.”
Hayes said the increased capacity provided by the clinic has allowed the VA to perform double the number of sleep studies. He described them as essential to mental health care and solving other chronic health problems. The sleep studies are likely to result in various treatment options for veterans, such as therapy or medication.