Quote:
Originally Posted by Dgodin
For Veterans using the VA there is a list of urgent care centers who partner with VA. Show the VA ID and the bill goes to VA. A list may be obtained at the Villages VA lobby volunteer desk.
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I am a recently retired VA primary care R.N. and also worked in the telephone triage call center at my former R.I. VA facility before it became an expanded VISN call center. The VA call centers now take calls 24/7, and I encourage all Vets that have a health issue that is not life, limb, or vision threatening and their health issue arises especially during the times the clinics are open to call the call center. They will speak with a trained telephone triage nurse who will determine the urgency of their issue and disposition accordingly which could be scheduling a same day in person, video, or telephone appointment with the Vet's PCP or specialty provider depending on the circumstances. Or they may direct the Vet to their VA urgent care or ER if one is in close proximity to the Vet. If the triage nurse directs the Vet to a private urgent care center or ER they can faciliate access and expedite care by calling over report to that urgent care or ER as well as provide pertinent medical data on the Vet as they have access the the Vet's electronic medical record and within seconds can pull up recent lab, EKG, x-ray results, med profile, etc. which can be vitally important to a private healthcare facility that will be treating the Vet that do not have immediate access to this info. And if the Vet is experiencing a mental heath issue they will get an immediate telephone handoff to a VA mental health provider trained in mental health crisis intervention.