CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The new Veterans Affairs Corpus Christi Outpatient Clinic is making significant progress toward fully opening: Two primary care teams are already moved in and providing clinical services, and the remaining teams are scheduled to transfer there in a few months.
The VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Healthcare System had a soft opening for the new clinic in December, when those two teams moved in.
The new location off, West Point Road and SPID is 59,000 sq. ft. and provides more space and services than the current VA clinic on Old Brownsville Road.
"Brand new facility, state-of-the-art technology, equipment, so it's just great experience for the veterans," said clinic administrative officer Brian McDonald.
While the two primary-care teams are already there, but their full range of radiology services still are not 100 percent operational.
"X-ray, MRI, CT, mammography, you know, those type of things . . . we don't really have completely. So, we'll have that completely here," he said.
The new building currently has 30 staff members, with plans to expand to 200 when it’s fully operational.
McDonald estimates the clinic is about 90 percent finished, but more technology needs to be installed so providers have the equipment necessary to provide the clinic’s complete roster of services.
"Currently, we still have furniture and equipment brought in almost daily and being set up,” he said. “Also, our IT infrastructure, we're working very closely with our vender to get that up and running. That's an integral part of, you know, our facility."
Besides a full radiology suite, there will be mental health, women's health, social-work services and a homeless-veterans program at the new clinic. He said IT infrastructure is imperative, since radiology equipment needs it to connect to the network for patient records.
Supply chain issues are one reason for vendor delays, he said.
"Everywhere is kind of dealing with some supply chain issues, especially, you know, with the pandemic just recently over and some supply chain issues here and there,” he said.
Current patients are scheduled to be transferred to the new clinic for primary care once it's fully open.
McDonald said the old clinic will remain in use, and the nearby specialty clinic will continue providing services. Despite delays, he said he's encouraged by the building's progress so far.
"Seeing it almost bare bones and now just seeing what it is now, it's just been a great process to see,” he said. “The progression from where it started, to where it is now and just, you know, getting ready to get everybody in here and working."
McDonald said the VA is trying to move into the new clinic by early summer once everything is installed.
He said military members interested in signing up for benefits can contact the clinic for more information.