A new medical clinic catering to veterans opened at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island this week, according to a press release from the Veterans Administration.

The new VA Puget Sound Clinic was developed in collaboration with Naval Health Clinic Oak Harbor and the base. The clinic is located inside the current Naval Health Clinic and will provide comprehensive primary services closer to home for veterans who previously faced significant travel barriers.

“This partnership, a first-of-its-kind for the VA and DoD in Washington state, marks a significant milestone in enhancing health care access for veterans in one of Western Washington’s most geographically challenging island communities,” the VA reported.

In fact, Island County has the highest rate of veterans in any county in the state. More than 16% of the population served in the military, according to the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs. In Oak Harbor alone, about 25% of residents are veterans.

WhidbeyHealth, the island’s public hospital district, welcomes the addition to the “health care ecosystem of Whidbey Island,” according to hospital spokesperson Conor O’Brien.

“Veteran Affairs patients residing on our island have long been without critical care services available to them close to home,” he wrote in an email. “Prior to the VA clinic opening on Wednesday, veterans would have to travel to Mount Vernon or Everett for care, or were left to manage an extensive referral process permitting insurance coverage at one of WhidbeyHealth’s Primary Care, Behavioral Health or Specialty Care clinics.”

VA services available at the new clinic include primary care, social work, behavioral health, nutrition and clinical pharmacy specialists.

The VA staff at the clinic is currently made up of four medical professionals — a primary care physician, a licensed practical nurse, a registered nurse and a medical support assistant. The team will eventually support up to 1,200 veterans at the clinic, but that will take time, the VA said.

“While provider requested laboratory work or radiology procedures such as X-rays can be done at any VA Puget Sound health care facility with those services (such as our Everett or Mount Vernon clinics) or through the Community Care Network, the hope is to eventually offer those services in-house,” the VA reported.

The VA also hopes to make the Oak Harbor Clinic a tele-hub to expand veterans’ access to specialty care services.

“We are honored to partner with VA Puget Sound on this important initiative,” Naval Health Clinic Oak Harbor Director Capt. Mark Lund said in a press release. “Together, we are breaking down barriers and building a foundation for better health and well-being for those who have served our nation.”

Veterans hoping to get their care at VA Puget Sound Clinic in Oak Harbor should discuss the option with their current primary care team. For those who are not enrolled, they can contact VA Puget Sound’s Enrollment and Eligibility Office at 1-800-329-8387, extension 76542.