Erie VAMC opens modernized Crawford County VA Clinic

The Erie VA Medical Center hosted a Ribbon Cutting and Open House August 15, 2024, at its newly-opened Crawford County VA Clinic at 11200 Perry Highway, Meadville, PA. 

Less than a year after breaking ground on the facility in September 2023, the Erie VA first welcomed patients to the 15,215 square-foot facility the week of July 15, 2024 for a soft opening. 

Nearly double the size of the old facility, the new location provides ample space for the Patient-Aligned Care Team (PACT) model design. PACT model design allows Veterans to remain in one exam space while providers come to them, rather than patients having to move about the facility to receive various specialty services.

Shania Wolbert, the Crawford County VA Clinic supervisor, spoke at the event about the expansion of services at the clinic.

“Thanks to the modernization of this clinic, not only can we provide basic services such as lab, primary care, and behavioral health we also are able to bring in specialists,” Wolbert said. “We have increased our cardiology clinic days and will be increasing podiatry by the end of this year.”

Wolbert said the clinic added new services and are getting ready to expand others including endocrine, oncology, and orthopedics. 

“We also plan to continue slowly integrating more services throughout the coming year,” she said.

Not only have the facility and services grown, but the staff is also growing as well, according to Dolan Wenner, the primary care medical director for Erie VAMC. 

“Dr. Greg Murray and Colleen Bessetti-Barrett have been a staple at the Crawford [County VA Clinic] for many years,” Wenner said.  “A full-time nurse practitioner, Challen Culbertson, has been hired from the Meadville area and will be starting in less than two months … We have also hired a part-time family medicine physician, Dr. Natalie Laniewicz.”

Hiring a nurse practitioner and physician has been a priority for Erie VAMC in an effort to improve access to care for new and established Veterans at the Crawford County VA Clinic, Wenner added.

At the end of her remarks, Wolbert thanked her team.

“I appreciate the staff for everything they did to ensure patient care continued throughout this transition and everything they continue to do to always put our Veterans first, she said. “I am proud to work alongside you.”

She also thanked Crawford County Veterans.

“To our Veterans, thank you for your patience while we uprooted to a new facility,” Wolbert said. “We hope you like the new facility as much as we do.”

Senior leaders from Erie VAMC, Veterans Integrated Services Network 4, and Downing Construction, the company contracted to build both the Venango County VA Clinic and the Crawford County VA Clinic, cut the ceremonial ribbon on the clinic and welcomed guests inside for a tour. 

Veterans, their families, and community members walked through the clinic and spoke with clinic staff to learn about services.

For more information about the Crawford County VA Clinic, visit Crawford County VA Clinic | VA Erie Health Care | Veterans Affairs