WORCESTER — The UMass Chan Medical School officially unveiled a 48,000 square foot  outpatient clinic for veterans, just in time for Veterans Day. 

Officials including U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough, UMass Chan Medical School Chancellor Michael Collins, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Jim McGovern, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, and others attended a ribbon cutting ceremony at the clinic on Monday, Nov. 8. 

The ribbon cutting ceremony was hosted by UMass Chan Medical School and the VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System. 

According to a release from UMass Chan Medical School, “the development of the clinic is the result of multiyear efforts by the VA, UMass Chan, and legislative and civic leaders, particularly Rep. McGovern; as well as bipartisan support from the administrations of Gov. Charlie Baker and former Gov. Deval Patrick; and numerous officials in the Massachusetts Legislature.”

The new state of the art clinic is designed to serve 16,800 veterans in Worcester County.  It’s will officially open its doors to patients on Dec. 15.

“During a week when Americans are encouraged to remember, recognize and reflect on the profoundly important contributions of generations of women and men who answered their nation’s call to service, it is entirely fitting that we come together to bear witness to this milestone achievement—the completion of a best-in-class VA outpatient clinic,” Collins said.

According to a release from UMass Chan Medical School, patient-aligned care teams at the clinic will provide veterans with primary and specialty health care that augments the services provided at the VA’s Plantation Street clinic and folds in the services that have been provided at the Lincoln Street and Lake Avenue clinics. The clinic will also support training of physicians and nurses at UMass Chan.

“For years veterans in my district and VA officials alike have told me that one of the biggest obstacles for the VA is the lack of medical professionals with expertise in the unique challenges facing the veteran population, especially women,” said McGovern. “This clinic and the partnership between VA Central Western Mass and UMass Chan Medical School is what it looks like when we begin to address that problem.”

In addition, according to the release, McDonough said the clinic is intended to provide 90 percent of area veterans’ day-to-day health care needs. 

“On this day, UMass Chan Medical School makes an unambiguous statement about our unyielding commitment to care for and about our nation’s veterans,” said Collins.