Construction nearing completion on Tomball VA clinic

Photo by Shawn Arrajj

Construction is nearing completion on the new Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic being built at 1200 W. Main St. in Tomball. The clinic is expected to be open and serving the public this fall, said Frances Burke, public affairs officer with the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center.

"The construction and development team envision a project completion in June," Burke said. "After that, we will be bringing in all the equipment and staff. A lot of things have to fall into place before we can open."

The 33,000-square-foot clinic is being built to give area veterans a more local opportunity to seek medical treatment. Tomball and Magnolia residents currently have to travel to Houston or Conroe to get to the nearest clinic.

The clinic will offer services such as primary health care, mental health care, women's specialty care, phlebotomy, X-ray, teleretinal imaging, optometry and audiology services. The clinic will also provide veterans with access to other specialists associated with MEDVAMC through telemedicine technology.

This clinic entered a 20 year lease for the property in 2011 for $1 million per year. It will operate on taxpayer dollars.

There are an estimated 46,000 veterans living in the greater Tomball area. MEDVAMC estimates it will serve 8,000 veterans through its Tomball location in its first year.

"We are very excited about coming to Tomball," Burke said. "We know the need is there and are eager to begin helping."

Founded in 1945, the MEDVAMC is home to a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder clinic, epilepsy and cancer centers, and an award-winning cardiac and general surgery program. MEDVAMC has clinics in Lufkin, Beaumont, Conroe, Richmond, Lake Jackson, Texas City and Galveston. It celebrated the opening of a new Katy location earlier this year and has been planning the Tomball location for about seven years.