WASHINGTON—The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has selected the contractor to build a new community-based outpatient clinic in Billings, Mont.
“This new facility will ensure that Montana’s Veterans continue to have the world-class medical care that they’ve earned through their service to our Nation,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.
One of Secretary Shinseki’s top priorities is increasing access to VA care and services for Veterans wherever they live. VA is expanding access in a three-pronged effort that includes facilities, programs and technology.
The contract was awarded to Billings VA 2008 LLC on Aug. 31 and will create approximately 399 construction jobs. Once the facility is completed in spring 2014, VA will pay an annual rent of approximately $1.8 million.
The contract calls for construction of a one-story building on Spring Creek Lane in Billings. The project includes 52,141 square feet of space for specialty services for Veterans, including primary care, mental health, specialty care, laboratory, pharmacy, outpatient surgery, dental, audiology, radiology, physical therapy, and vision. Space is also allocated for Veterans Benefits Administration offices. In addition, 230 parking spaces will be constructed.
The new facility will be located near the existing 26,000 square foot CBOC located on the west end of Billings at Spring Creek. The clinic will annually provide outpatient services for 11,000 Veterans in eastern Montana.
Last year, VA spent $575 million providing health care, benefits and services to Montana’s 102,000 Veterans. VA operates a medical center and ambulatory care clinic in Ft. Harrison, a dozen community-based outpatient clinics and four Vet Centers across the state, and a community living center in Miles City.
VA operates the nation’s largest integrated health care system. With a health care budget of about $50 billion, VA expects to provide care to 6.1 million patients supporting 920,000 hospitalizations and nearly 80 million outpatient visits this year. VA’s health care network includes 152 major medical centers and more than 800 community-based outpatient clinics.
This initiative is part of the department’s program for infrastructure improvements for the Veterans health care system. It includes approximately $11 billion in major construction projects and a similar amount of facility acquisitions through lease agreements.
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