The construction phase of Knoxville’s Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) is wrapping up according to CBOC Director Maureen Nichols, but the facility is unlikely to be ready until sometime in March.

Nichols says preparation of staff and facilities will be an extensive process so that the CBOC can offer patients quality, full-service assistance on day one. She compares the process to moving into a house, the staff needs time to unpack boxes and get used to the building. Nichols says the facility is more than 12,000 square feet and features an intuitive design that will help staff use time efficiently and care for more patients in a more comprehensive way, with telehealth and other technologies allowing veterans to receive care they would’ve previously had to travel to Des Moines for.