Skip to Content

Lakeland VA Ribbon Cutting the Sixth in Two Years

Distinguished guests and JAHVH leadership gather to cut the ribbon at the new Lakeland Outpatient Clinic on July 26, 2024.
Distinguished guests and JAHVH leadership gather to cut the ribbon at the new Lakeland Outpatient Clinic on July 26, 2024.
By Rachelle Smith, Public Affairs Specialist

Team Tampa hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the brand-new Lakeland Outpatient Center on July 26, 2024.

The new and improved facility, located at 2080 Meadowland Park Blvd., Lakeland, FL 33803, is the sixth project completed in two years for James A. Haley Hospital and Clinics, providing a population of near 50,000 Veterans with faster and better access to health care.

Distinguished guests and speakers of the ceremony included: JAHVH Executive Director, David Dunning; JAHVH Deputy Director David VanMeter, Master of Ceremony; Florida’s 18th District Congressman Scott Franklin; Gary Clark, Polk County Veterans’ Council chair; Rob Miller, deputy regional commissioner, General Services Administration; and John D. Thomas, associate executive director, Office of Real Property, Office of Construction and Facilities Management, as well as a special honored guest, 99-year-old Army Veteran Frank Blish. Cpl. Blish parachuted into Normandy on D-Day in 1944 and was recently awarded the Bronze Star medal. 

“It’s a beautiful facility. If you’ve got a beautiful facility that the staff enjoys coming to work in, and the patients enjoy being in and it’s comfortable to be in for the care providers of Veterans, that’s going to lead to better outcomes for our Veterans,” said Franklin. “And that’s really what it’s all about. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make this dream a reality.”

The opening of the new clinic brings with it an increase of 100 new staff members. Veterans in Polk County can also determine their eligibility and enroll in care at this facility.

“At the end of the day, providing the finest care for America’s Veterans, military personnel and their families is what it’s all about. That’s why we’re here,” said David Dunning, executive director of JAHVH. “It makes me so proud to be here as a Veteran that also receives care from the VA.”

The new clinic, at  boasts a larger state-of-the-art facility that offers increased access to primary care, mental health care, and specialty care to the community of Veterans in the fastest growing county in the state.

“We are now at ‘Outpatient Center’ status in this Taj Mahal 100,000 square foot facility,” said Dr. Vanessa Osting, chief medical officer of Lakeland OPC. “We’ve grown with this community, and we’ll provide the best medical services.”

The new clinic includes:

  • Increased access to Primary care
  • Increased access to Mental health
  • Audiology
  • Eye Clinic
  • Multi-specialty, to include Podiatry and Home Oxygen
  • Physical Therapy
  • Prosthetics
  • Lab
  • Dispensing Pharmacy
  • Eligibility & Enrollment
  • CT, X-Ray, Mammography, MRI, and Ultrasound
  • Home-Based Primary Care

“Today, this 120,000 square foot facility provides a variety of services for the Veterans in this community,” said Miller.

To learn more, visit: https://www.va.gov/tampa-health-care/locations/lakeland-va-clinic/