ATLANTA — Local veterans who need to see a doctor immediately now have another option.
Now that Piedmont's Urgent Care-Wellstreet has the approval of the Veteran's Administration, physicians' assistants believe new developments will make a big difference with veterans and service members.
Physicians' assistant John Mark Lidell served in the Army for 20 years, so he doesn't like to hear about long waits at the VA for veterans to get medical care.
The military says passing the "Mission Act" this year opens up more access to private health care, and for the first time, the Department of Defense is building a national network of approved urgent care centers.
"They've placed a priority on our safety serving on nation," Lidell said.
TRENDING STORIES:
- 1 dead, 1 critical after shooting at DeKalb County motel, police say
- Officials say 'snakehead' fish that can live on land may be invading Georgia
- Long-struggling Gwinnett Place Mall will soon be up for sale
In metro Atlanta, Piedmont-Wellstreet decided to take that a step further with a mission of its own, making sure our nation's heroes don't have to wait.
They can sign up online or go in the clinic and immediately go to the front of the line.
"Any service member would just need to bring in an ID and they'll have priority access," Piedmont-Wellstreet senior director of operations Ty Houston said.
It's important to Houston because she's a veteran, too.
"You learn values like respect, duty, honor and integrity and it is a fundamental belief of mine," Houston said. "They receive our appreciation for their service."