WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The federal government has approved the opening of a second Piedmont VA medical clinic at Marketplace Mall in Winston- Salem.
The Veteran's Administration thinks that the mall's proximity to Interstate 40 and ample parking makes Marketplace Mall on Peters Creek Parkway the perfect location for the new facility, which will provide 40 new jobs.
Parking is one of the main problems at the current Winston-Salem VA clinic. Patients have to park on the street and deal with crowds in the office.
"It's crowded and it's kind of tedious trying to find a parking place, and so many vets can't find it because it's on Kimel Dr. It's not a real good access to it." said Veteran Gerry Swain.
Medical Director, Dr. Stephen Beuttel, says the patient load has doubled twice in the past 10 years. The Winston-Salem clinic serves veterans in Guilford, Forsyth, Stokes, Surry, Yadkin and Davie counties.
"I first came to work here in 2000 and at that time we were caring for 4,000 veterans in our clinics. Now we have more than 17,000 veterans that we are providing care for." Dr. Beuttel said.
The new clinic should be open by July, helping ease the 106,000 visits each year to the main clinic. The clinic will also bring new clients to the mall.
"well we think it's going to bring us a whole new clientele down here at the mall to a space that's traditionally been a little tough to lease for us." said Marketplace Mall Manager Tarron Coalson.
Once the clinic opens, the once struggling mall will be 90 percent full. While patients and family can shop while they wait, the new clinic will still offer many medical specialties.
"We will have a neurologist, a surgeon, urologist, dermatology and some other services that will be available over there for our veterans." said Dr. Beuttel.