Reducing travel, improving outcomes

“Driving all the way to Nashville for four hours can really get strenuous,” said Joel Edwards, a Army Infantry Veteran receiving oncology care at the cancer in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

According to VA, nearly one-quarter of America’s Veterans live in rural areas, where specialty care often requires extended travel. For years, that was the reality for many Veterans living in southeast Tennessee and northern Georgia, who faced long drives for cancer treatment, often repeated week after week.

Now, that routine is changing.

VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (TVHS) designated the Pointe Centre VA Clinic in Chattanooga as a VA “Close to Me” cancer care site, becoming one of more than 30 VA medical centers nationwide to be selected for the expansion. The designation brings oncology services closer to where Veterans live while maintaining coordinated care within VA’s healthcare system.

Veterans face a higher risk of developing certain cancers due to exposures during military service, including Agent Orange and burn pits, which VA recognizes as linked to multiple presumptive cancers under the PACT Act. For many Veterans, that increased risk makes access to timely, coordinated care even more critical.

“Close to Me is designed to bring access to Veterans in some of the smaller communities outside of Nashville and Murfreesboro where oncology services have traditionally been offered for Veterans,” said Whitney Worthy, a nurse practitioner at the clinic.

Prior to this expansion of care, Veterans in the Chattanooga region traveled up to three hours to the Nashville VA Medical Center or were referred to a community provider.

“It can be a lot on the Veteran to travel 60 minutes or more to an appointment once a week, or sometimes even twice a week,” said Kim Hughes, a registered nurse at the clinic. “What we are hoping to do is allow them to spend less time on the road and more time with their families, resting and recovering.”

For more than a year, Edwards made the long drives for treatment, always accompanied by his wife, Sandra Edwards.

“He used to have two or three appointments every week after the initial cancer surgery,” Sandra recalled. “It’s nice now not having to drive all over the place to get to his appointments.”

The impact so far

Since treating its first patient in December 2025, the clinic has already served more than 101 Veterans, expanding access to oncology care closer to home and reducing the burden of frequent travel on Veterans and their families. By expanding specialty care and transitioning care back into VA, the program has also resulted in more than $130,000 in cost avoidance, allowing those resources to be further invested into Veteran care.

“Veterans in this area want to stay within the VA system,” said Worthy. “As far as continuity of care, having all your providers under one system is a big deal.”

Coordinating care across multiple providers and systems can be complex, particularly for patients undergoing frequent or specialized treatment. By keeping care within VA, providers can maintain greater continuity, ensuring Veterans receive consistent, connected care throughout their treatments.

Edwards said the difference has been noticeable, not just in traveling distance, but in how he feels day by day.

“Getting the infusion here has been no problem,” Edwards said. “I feel better and I don’t drag out of bed.”

Support systems matter

Veterans navigating cancer treatment are often not doing it alone.

Caregivers and spouses like Sandra play a critical role in managing appointments, providing transportation and offering support throughout each stage of care.

“I don’t want something to happen to him where he can’t drive home after his treatment,” Sandra said. “I don’t take that chance, so I come with him every time.”

Inside the clinic, the treatment experience is designed with both patients and caregivers in mind.

The clinic offers a smaller, more personalized setting. Infusion chairs offer heat and massage features, caregivers are encouraged to remain close by with their own comfortable seating, and appointments are coordinated to reduce time spent waiting and traveling. Together, those features help support both comfort and connection.

Sandra said staff walk both patients and caregivers through each step of the process.

“They will explain every step of the process with you just like they do for the patient getting treatment,” Sandra said.

Referring to the availability of care at the Pointe Centre VA Clinic, Edwards said, “I’m glad you’re here. I’ve always got good care at VA.”

Veterans receiving care through VA can speak with their provider about whether the VA Close to Me program is right for them.