The VA Puget Sound Health Care System has opened the doors of a new outpatient clinic in Port Angeles that will triple the primary care and mental health service offerings and greatly improve access to health care for Veterans.

Peninsula veterans are now able to seek medical treatment at the new North Olympic Peninsula Clinic at 1114 Georgiana St. in Port Angeles. The clinic replaces the former VA site one block away.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) formally opened the facility Feb. 20 with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Murray, along with area veterans and VA staff joined together in celebrating the opening. Murray has paved the way to ensure funding was available to expand the clinic and its medical and mental health treatment services.

“We are excited at the VA to offer expanded services for our veterans on the peninsula and not make them travel to Seattle or Tacoma for some of their medical needs,” said Dr. Connie Morantes, director of General Medicine at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System.

The more modern clinic is five times the size of the former site growing from 1,400 square feet to more than 7,800. Thirteen current staff members have moved to the new site and will be joined by seven additional staff, including a physician. The clinic has approximately 1,600 veteran enrollees with the potential to grow to 2,500.

The expanded clinical offerings include:

Primary care services

Home-based primary care services

Physical therapy (limited)

Tele-medicine

Home Tele-health

Mental health

Phlebotomy

Dietician services

Social work

Tele-retinal imaging

Pharmacist

The former clinic was rented from Olympic Medical Center for $1 annually. The new landlord of the leased building is located in Oregon and will be charging the VA approximately $157,000 annually.

The clinic phone number is 360-565-7420.