VERO BEACH — A new specialty clinic for veterans is set to open in phases this spring in Indian River County, bringing specialty care closer to home for thousands who previously had to travel outside the area.
The Indian River VA clinic is a 20,000-square-foot outpatient specialty facility located at 777 37th Street in Vero Beach, according to West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System spokesperson Kaila Bird, chief of strategic communications and marketing.
Once fully operational, the clinic will offer a range of services, including audiology, cardiology, chiropractic, dental, dermatology, neurology, optometry, physical therapy, prosthetics, podiatry, pulmonology, urology and laboratory services. It will complement the existing Vero Beach Community Based Outpatient Clinic at 372 17th St., where primary care and mental health services are currently offered.
Bird said the clinic will open in phases.
“Phase one will begin in late March and include Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Chiropractic services,” Bird said. “Phase two is anticipated in May and will include Audiology, Cardiology, Dermatology, Neurology, Podiatry, Prosthetics, Pulmonary, Urology, and Blood draw. Phase three will include Optometry and Dental.”
She added that opening in stages is standard practice.
“VA typically opens new clinics in phases, which enables VA to begin delivering services to Veterans as soon as possible while ensuring every department meets the highest standards,” Bird said.
The facility is expected to serve 4,000 veterans and represents what Bird described as a significant regional investment.
“The new clinic represents a major investment in the region’s Veteran community,” Bird said. “By expanding specialty care in our northern catchment area, Veterans will be able to receive the high-quality VA care they have earned — delivered conveniently within the community they call home.”
Local veteran advocates say the location addresses a longstanding challenge for residents of Indian River County.
April Colvin, executive director of the Veterans Council of Indian River County, said geography has played a major role in access to care.
“The new VA Multispecialty Clinic is critical because location truly matters,” Colvin said. “Indian River County stretches north to south, and until now, veterans in the northern part of the county often had to travel to Viera for specialty care, while others were required to go to the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center. That’s approximately 75 miles away, and even on a good day can take an hour and 20 minutes — often longer with traffic or medical limitations.”
She said that distance can create obstacles, particularly for older veterans and those with chronic health conditions.
“For many veterans — especially older veterans or those managing chronic conditions — that kind of travel isn’t just inconvenient, it can become a real barrier to care,” Colvin said. “And for working veterans, it often means taking a half day or even a full day off work just to attend a single appointment.”
While primary care has been available locally, specialty services often required travel outside the county, she said.
“There wasn’t a complete absence of care — we have an existing primary care VA clinic in Vero Beach — but there was definitely a gap in specialty services,” Colvin said. “Veterans often had to travel to the West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System for things like cardiology, dermatology, neurology, prosthetics, and other specialty services. That travel can be especially challenging for older veterans, disabled veterans, or those without reliable transportation. This new clinic closes that gap in a meaningful way.”
Currently, most specialty services are provided through the West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System, and some veterans are referred through the VA’s Community Care program to approved providers outside the VA network.
“While Community Care is an important option, it is a referral-based process that can sometimes feel daunting and time-consuming for veterans — especially older veterans or those navigating complex health conditions,” Colvin said. “Coordinating authorizations, scheduling, and follow-up can add layers to an already stressful situation.”
She said that once the first two phases open, many of those services will be available locally.
According to VA data from 2020, there were close to 17,000 veterans living in Indian River County, Colvin said, in a community now approaching 170,000 residents.
“Veterans make up roughly 10% of our total population, which is significant,” she said. “And it’s important to note that those figures reflect individuals identified through VA data — there are likely additional veterans living here who are not currently registered within the VA system.”
Colvin said the VA system offers care tailored to those who have served.
“The VA provides veteran-specific, integrated care that understands military service–related conditions,” she said, citing service-connected disability evaluations and treatment, coordinated specialty care within the VA system, prosthetics and adaptive equipment, military culture-informed providers and access to a veteran’s full VA medical record across the system. “It’s not just healthcare — it’s healthcare delivered within a system built specifically for veterans, including those with complex, service-related conditions.”
For many in the county, she said, the impact will be practical and immediate.
“This clinic isn’t just about expanding services — it’s about eliminating barriers,” Colvin said. “When veterans no longer have to drive 75 miles or take a full day off work to see a specialist, that changes everything. It means better access, better outcomes, and a stronger commitment to those who served.”