James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital breaks ground on new Polk County clinic

LAKELAND, Fla. - The James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital held a groundbreaking for its newest clinic in Polk County on Thursday. The Lakeland Consolidated Clinic will be centrally located just off Polk Parkway and Lakeland Highlands Road.

The decision to build a new clinic in Lakeland seemed obvious, according to James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital's executive director.

"There is such growth in this area," said James A. Haley Executive Director David Dunning.

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Even though there is already a veteran’s clinic in Lakeland, the new one will dwarf it. Lakeland Consolidated Clinic will be eight times bigger and offer services not offered now. That includes prosthetics, physical therapy and counseling. 

Right now, veterans have to go to the main hospital in Tampa to access them. The clinic is scheduled to open in about two years.