Veterans' outpatient clinic dedicated

Designed to make health care more accessible to the area's large veteran population, the clinic will have a doctor, two nurses and two health care technicians. Its doors open Monday.

By JORGE SANCHEZ

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 8, 2000

INVERNESS -- To some 1,500 area veterans, the new community-based outpatient clinic will make getting health care easier.

Mary Klein of Inverness, for example, no longer must drive her husband Monroe, a disabled veteran, to Gainesville when he needs to see a doctor.

"I'm the driver," she said, "and this will be so much easier for me."

The new clinic at 401 Central Ave., Inverness, opens Monday. On Friday, dignitaries held a grand opening and ribbon-cutting.

Among the speakers was U.S. Rep. Karen Thurman, D-Dunnellon. Other speakers included Dr. Elwood J. Headley, director for the North Florida Veterans Health Service, state Rep. Nancy Argenziano, R-Crystal River, and state Sen. Anna Cowin, R-Leesburg.

Thurman said the clinic, like ones in Marion, Hernando and Pasco counties, was a fulfilment of a promise.

"When I got elected in 1992, I heard your message loud and clear," Thurman told the assembly of about 200 veterans. "That you wanted health care, which we promised you when you served your country."

Through a reallocation of federal money, Thurman introduced a bill that was able to secure an extra $325-million for veterans' care for the Southeast United States. She said the community VA clinic is an example of the reallocation's success.

"This day couldn't have come any sooner," she said.

Thurman recalled how she grew up in military bases and spoke movingly of her father. He was a tail-gunner aboard a B-52 bomber and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

"This clinic is a tribute not to people in government, but to people who served this country," she said. "If giving you this clinic is all I can stand on when my career is through, it will be one of the proudest moments of my life."

She also praised Royce Carter, the county's veterans affairs officer, for his efforts in making the clinic a reality.

"Royce Carter has done a lot to improve the economic development of Citrus County by working for the veterans," she said.

The clinic will have a staff of one doctor, two nurses and two health care technicians. It will see its first patient Monday. .

Veterans who need specialty care, such as cardiology, will not be suitable patients at the Inverness clinic. They will continue to receive care at VA medical centers or specialty clinics in Gainesville, Ocala and other areas. The clinic does not have a pharmacy and will not accept walk-in patients.

Thurman promised to continue working for veterans, including the future expansion of the clinic. It is only capable of handling a case load of 1,500 patients. With 23,420 veterans, Citrus County ranks fifth in the state for the number of residents who are veterans.

Thurman urged veterans to write letters of support to their U.S. senators for two pending issues -- mail-order drug prescriptions for all veterans and Medicare subvention.

Medicare subvention allows Medicare to reimburse the Department of Defense for care provided to members who are Medicare-eligible beneficiaries.

She said bills relating to both issues were passed in the Department of Defense appropriations budget by the U.S. House of Representatives and await a vote in the Senate.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.