CBOC Spotlight: Dubuque Clinic
When walking into the Dubuque Clinic, although quiet, you are instantly greeted with Veterans who are thrilled to share their excitement over the care they receive here and how grateful they are of the staff that care for them.
The feeling is clearly mutual when speaking to the Staff at the clinic. 84 % of V-Signal comments received for the Dubuque CBOC in FY24 have been compliments, and it is clear that the staff prides themselves on these compliments and in their ability to serve fellow Veterans, meeting them where they are at. “You can’t put together a better group of people than what the Dubuque CBOC has,” one Veteran shared. Another shared, “They make me feel human and not a number in line.”
Alison Schwab, a newly hired Clinical Social Worker added to the Outpatient Substance Use Disorders Program (OSATP), emphasized, “The VA goes above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to patient care. If we have a patient who hasn’t responded to our calls, we will text them or reach out to their emergency contacts. We don’t just stop reaching out because we don’t hear from them. We work hard to ensure that no Veterans fall through the crack.” This patient dedication contributes to their V-Signals Trust Score for FY24 of 95%, which is above National, VISN 23, and Facility benchmarks.
When asked about the program Schwab and Clinical Social Worker, Heather LuGrain, explained the teamwork they employ to treat Veterans with addiction issues of all kinds such as gambling, pornography, substance abuse, and shopping. With two social workers at the clinic, they can speed up getting Veterans struggling with mental health concerns to see someone sooner than they would in the community. The new Clinical Social Workers can provide Veterans with individual and group therapy services, intensive outpatient programming, peer specialist services as well as referrals for medication used to treat addiction disorders. One Veteran shared their experience at the Dubuque CBOC as “I feel like I always get listened to and treated with respect and understanding.”
“With the move to our new facility just over four years ago,” said Medical Director, Dr. Cynthia Carr, “we were able to add physical therapy, radiology, and audiology, as well as significantly expand our mental health and telehealth resources.” Additionally, the Dubuque Clinic supports primary care, provided by four PACT Teams. Each team consists of a provider, registered nurse (RN), licensed practical nurse (LPN), and a medical support assistant. The teams are further supported by an on-site pharmacist, social worker, and dietitian.
“We pride ourselves on offering evidence-based care to help Veterans pursue their treatment goals in the areas of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, adjustments issues, and other mental health concerns,” said Teri Keleher, Clinic Coordinator. In addition, the clinic employs two outpatient therapists, two psychiatric nurse practitioners, and two nurse care managers.
The Dubuque CBOC has surveyed above National, VISN 23 and Facility benchmarks for five consecutive quarters in the following SHEP Surveyed Patient Experience domains: Access, Care Coordination, Communication and Staff Interactions. To learn more about the Dubuque CBOC Clinic, and see a full list of services offered, please visit their website.
The Dubuque clinic is located at 2600 Dodge Street Suite A1 (Located in the Dodge Street Plaza). Clinic Hours: Monday-Friday 8AM-430PM.