Statesboro-area veterans now have a shorter drive to get access to basic health-care services.
    The Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center opened the Statesboro Primary Care Telehealth Outpatient Clinic at 412 Northside Drive W., Suite 500, on Wednesday morning.
    Veterans who currently see primary care physicians in Augusta can choose to visit the new Statesboro clinic and work with a new provider via Telehealth technology. It is an easy process and has the potential of saving veterans time and money spent traveling to Augusta.
    The clinic is currently open and staffed with administrative specialists from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Veterans can stop by for enrollment information and specifics about the how the Telehealth program works.
    A formal dedication ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. March 26 at the clinic. Representatives from veterans service organizations, civic leadership, the Georgia Congressional Delegation, Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center leadership, Georgia Southern University ROTC, Georgia National Guard, Georgia Department of Veterans Affairs and others will participate.
    Increasing VA’s geographic reach is the result of Secretary of Veteran Affairs  Eric Shinseki’s promise to bring health care to all veterans in their home communities.