Northern Wyoming News - Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years

WORLAND – The Department of Veterans Affairs Outreach Clinic at 510 S. 15th Street in Worland has reopened after being closed for over a year. The clinic closed in the summer of 2014 and was recently reopened Feb. 1.

The clinic closed in 2014 due to a loss of staffing. “Some of the staff went to other positions in the V.A. in other towns and one staff member retired,” Veterans Affairs Health System LPN Kay French said.

“It has taken a while to reopen because of the hiring process with the federal government requiring multiple background checks,” French said.

The clinic doesn’t have any physicians on site but offers visits with the V.A. doctors via telecommunications, which gives veterans easy access to health care without having to make a long drive. This type of clinic is only found in one other town in Wyoming, Evanston. “We are called a Primary Care Telehealth Outreach Clinic. Appointments are done via live feed,” French said. “We have an RN (registered nurse) on staff to assess the patients and determine their status. Plus all lab work can be done here,” she added.

According to the Sheridan.va.gov website, “Both primary medical and mental health services are available at the Primary Care Telehealth Outreach Clinics (PCTOC) through telehealth technology.  Those veterans in need of services not available at the PCTOC are either referred to the Sheridan VAMC, another VA facility within VISN19, or are scheduled for purchased care within the local community.

“Patients will receive nursing care and other care via 21st century technology.  The global media systems allow for medical and mental health examinations and appointments to be held over a secure internet system.”