VILSECK, Germany -- Under the Bavarian summer sun, the Vilseck Army Health Clinic celebrated the official opening of its brand-new clinic addition building with a ribbon cutting ceremony, Aug. 14 in front of the clinic.
The ceremony was attended by military, civilians and local nationals with a tie to the health care being offered in the Vilseck military community. Following the formal ceremony, tours through the facility were provided by current Soldiers and staff members, who were eager to show off their new digs.
"The clinic addition consolidated services that were divided into three separate buildings, moving us toward providing a new level of patient-centered care, geared toward our enrollees and the community we serve," said Lt. Col. Amal Chatila, Vilseck Army Health Clinic Commander. "We will continue to be pillars of readiness and poised to support our (2d Cavalry Regiment) partners -- one team. We are proud to be part of the MHS, truly a world class health care system."
The new 41,900-square foot outpatient health clinic addition quadruples the size of United States Army Health Clinic Vilseck, consolidating offices and scattered health care services from three outlying buildings. The three-phase project will continue to move all Soldier and civilian treatment services under the same roof to greatly increase the quality and efficiency of health care delivery.
The design and construction are based on an environmentally friendly idea, ensuring the facility provided respite areas for patients as well as flexible room configurations to better allow for future changes in work flow and room set up.
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Europe district, the upgraded facility is sustainable as well.
"The building's green roof acts as an ecological protection layer -- absorbing rainwater, providing insulation and creating a habitat for wildlife," said Walt Bogdanow, area engineer with the USACE-Europe district, who was one of the six speakers at the event. "The green roof requires little maintenance, saves energy, and increases the lifespan of the roof, thus saving taxpayer and Army dollars."
The clinic was also designed to make use of natural lighting, solar power generation of hot water, and photovoltaic generation of electrical power, according to Bogdanow.
The Defense Health Agency representative, Frank Varano, pointed out the importance of a quality medical facility in our everyday lives.
"I love medical facilities," he said. "I know that sounds funny, but think about it. There are no other buildings in any society that do more good, for more people, for more time, than our medical facilities. Every facet of human life- from birth to death and everything in between -- happens in them. And this clinic is the Army's latest commitment to providing an oasis of health that is welcoming, efficient, and conducive to the healing process both for the patient and staff. This is not just a place for healing, but also peace. As our healthcare providers know, healing and peace are inextricable from one another."
Vilseck Army Health Clinic provides outpatient health care to approximately 10,000 patients in the Rose Barracks community. It falls under the command of the Bavaria Medical Department Activity, a part of the Regional Health Command Europe.
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