Victory for veterans with Odessa Medical Center

ODESSA – The Medical Center Hospital’s (MHC) Center for Health & Wellness along Hwy. 191 is undergoing a 43,000-sf, two-story expansion to be completed by April 2014.

The expansion will become the new home for the Veterans Affairs’ outpatient clinic, according to John O’Hearn, Executive Director of Planning and Development for MCH.

The Medical Center Hospital anticipates leasing 90 percent of the expansion’s first floor to the VA, which works from an office on North Tanglewood Ln. near East 42nd St.

The Big Spring-based West Texas Veterans Affairs plans to move the Tanglewood clinic into the new space by the end of May 2014, said West Texas Veterans Affairs Community Relations Coordinator Iva Jo Hanslik.

The VA plans to expand upon its mental health services, and plans to at least double that staff by hiring an additional psychologist and social worker after the relocation. The new clinic will also have a new audiologist and ophthalmologist.

The current clinic serves between 3,500 and 4,500 veterans from Odessa, Midland and most of the Permian Basin.

The remaining part of the first floor will be given to Mission Fitness, which plans to have an extra studio and extra rehabilitation space. The 20,000-sf second floor will be leased for physician offices.