MASSENA -- Officials at the Syracuse VA Medical Center on Friday approved transferring operation of the Massena Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) from OnSite Occupational Health & Safety, Inc. of Princeton, Ind. to Sterling Medical Associates of Cincinnati, Ohio, pursuant to a transaction between organizations.

“This change will be seamless and will, in no way, interfere with veteran care. Sterling Medical is retaining all of the current staff of providers and the high quality service that this CBOC has been known for will continue for the Veterans of St. Lawrence County and the North Country,” said Bob McLean, a spokesman for the Syracuse VA branch. “There are currently approximately 2100 Veterans enrolled in care at the Massena CBOC. They will receive a outlining this change and providing them with a number to call if they have further questions.”

Sterling will retain all current positions at the Massena clinic, McLean said.

As a result of a competitive bid process, Sterling was selected in late December 2014 to take over the operation of the Watertown Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC). That Clinic provides primary health care and specialty referral services to some 4,000 Veterans in Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Lewis counties and the surrounding North Country. Sterling Medical operates 28 VA CBOC’s nationwide.

“We are looking forward to providing high quality services to the Veterans of the Massena VA CBOC. This is yet another opportunity for Sterling Medical to continue and expand on our long record of service to the Veterans in locations Nationwide, as well as to the veterans of Upstate New York, where we have performed uninterrupted services on behalf of the VA CBOC program since 1998,” Brandon Blatt, vice president of Sterling Medical said in a prepared statement.

“OnSite OHS did an excellent job of relocating, expanding and improving services the Massena CBOC last year. We are very confident that Sterling Medical will now build on that success and enhance care for our Veterans even further,” said Richard Kazel, primary care line manager for the Syracuse VA.

Veterans currently enrolled in care at the Massena CBOC will receive a letter outlining this change and providing them with a number to call if they have further questions.

More information about VA services at the Massena CBOC is available by calling 705-6666. For information regarding eligibility for VA health care, people can visit the VA website at http://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/apply/, or call 888-823-9656.