Erie VA Brings State-of-the-Art Clinic to Franklin-area Veterans

The clinic in Franklin will provide comprehensive health care services to local Veterans, ensuring they receive the highest quality care in a modern and patient-centered environment.

The grand opening event will be held on Thursday, July 13, 2023, at 11 a.m. at the clinic’s location, 125 Home Depot Drive, Franklin, PA. Erie VA invites community members to join Medical Center Director John Gennaro, Medical Director, Primary Care Dr. Dolan Wenner, Clinic Supervisor Lori Bergquist-Springer, Chaplain Nelson Chapman, Downing Construction, and clinic staff members as they commemorate this milestone.

Following the ceremony, attendees are invited to tour the facility, learn more about the comprehensive services provided, and meet the compassionate staff who deliver exceptional care to our Veterans during an open house from   11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at the Venango County VA Clinic. 

Serving over 2,000 Veterans and employing 15 VA employees, the new Venango County VA Clinic is more than twice the size of its former Allegheny Boulevard location (increasing from 6,782 to 15,180 square feet) and boasts a large parking lot with ample wheelchair-accessible parking. This $2.1 million project replaces the previous clinic office suite housed within a multiple-tenant building. 

The new spacious clinic location allows space for additional specialty services, like retinal telehealth, and features the brand-new Close to Me Oncology pilot, which will bring cancer care closer to the rural patients in the Venango area starting this fall. 

With its PACT configuration model, this new facility location focuses on improving patient access, coordination, and continuity of care. In the clinic, Veterans meet with multiple providers based out of a single appointment room, optimizing face-to-face time with centrally co-located caregivers in a Team-let work area adjacent to the exam room. Instead of a Veteran going to each provider, each provider comes to the Veteran.

The PACT model integrates and coordinates Veteran care with clinical services, such as primary care, women’s health, telehealth, dietary education, and mental health. This collaboration enhances real-time decision-making, streamlines communications, and brings care and services directly to the Veteran. The future growth of exam rooms and Team-Let areas will allow the new clinic to provide specialty services to respond to the health care needs of the local Veterans.

“As we continue to align our operational advancements with VA’s six health care priorities, we are thrilled to unveil the Venango County VA Clinic, which represents a significant milestone in our commitment to serving our local Veterans and connecting them to the soonest and best care,” said John A. Gennaro, Erie VA Medical Center Executive Director. “By adopting the PACT design model, initiating the Oncology Close to Me pilot, and expanding additional specialty care services, we are confident that we can enhance the health care experience for our Veterans and provide them with the comprehensive care they deserve.”

We encourage members of the press to attend this momentous occasion. Representatives from the VA and local community leaders will be available for interviews to discuss the clinic’s mission, the collaborative effort behind its establishment, and the positive impact it will have on our Veterans. Visit https://www.va.gov/erie-health-care/events/57004/ for additional details. 

Briana R. Cummings, Public Affairs Officer

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