Expanding Services to Rural Veterans

By James Theres

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in Tomah is expanding services to rural Veterans.  On September 7, 2011 the Clark County VA Outpatient Clinic, located in Owen, Wisconsin, will open for business.  The new clinic is located at 8 Johnson Street, Owen, WI  54460 just off of Highway 29 at Exit 122 (CTY X).  The current clinic, operated in Loyal, Wisconsin since July, 1993, will close on August 30, 2011. 

“We want to thank the Loyal community for partnering with us all of these years,” said Acting Medical Center Director Dr. David Houlihan.  “The new location in Owen brings us a little closer to Veterans in our northern counties which was population we needed to serve.” 

According to the Veterans Health Adminstration’s Office of Rural Health (VHAORH),

 there are just over 3.4 million rural Veterans enrolled in the VA system which represents 41% of the total enrolled Veteran population.  One of the priorities for the new clinic was to expand services and at 3,000 square feet the new clinic also has more than three times the space of the previous location and ample off street parking. 

“Not only are we expanding our operation to four days a week, Monday through Thursday,” said Dr. Houlihan, “but, in addition to Primary Care, we are adding mental health, tele-health and women’s health services.” 

An Open House is planned for October 20, 2011 at 11:30 am.  The entire community is invited to attend.  Beginning September 1, 2011, the new Clark County Outpatient Clinic clinic telephone number will be 715-229-4701 or 1-800-872-8662 extension 63761.

For more information on the new outpatient clinic in Owen, please contact the VA Outpatient Clinic Coordinator, Joanne Gernhart at (608) 372-3971 x 67785 or joanne.gernhart@va.gov.