Page 6 - Desert Oracle February 2021

Monthly Stakeholder Report

January 2021

Access to Care:

• At this time, Phoenix VA is continuing with scheduled surgeries and procedures. Virtual and in-
person appointments, including Dental, are also continuing.
• Screening and masks are required for everyone entering the facilities.
• As of 1/31/21 – Active Phoenix VA positive Veteran cases are just over 190 (25 inpatients);
Employees – 63 active positive employees, 20 humanitarians (total for the Pandemic).
• Operation Warp Speed -COVID-19 vaccine deployment is underway. Outpatient Veteran
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vaccinations began on January 4 , 2021.
o As of 1/31/2021 over 9800 vaccinations were administered to Veterans and employees
o Medical Center – capacity for approximately 2500 vaccines per week
o Community Based Outpatient Clinic – capacity for approximately 500 vaccines per week
o Veterans seeking additional information should visit the VA Coronavirus Vaccine FAQs
webpage, contact their care team using secure messaging, or visit the facility website.
o Week of 1/25/2021 Staff went to GPD sites to administer the first of two Pfizer COVID-19
vaccines to Veterans in transitional housing (42 Veterans US Vets, 10 Veterans Ozanam
Manor, 26 Veterans MANA house, 10 Veterans Project Veteran’s Pride’s James Walton
Home).
o VETtext is being used as an additional self-scheduling option for COVID vaccine
appointments.
• The Wickenburg ATLAS (Accessing Telehealth through Local Area Stations) station has been
finalized and is anticipated to open in February. This is a joint venture with NVAHCS that will
provide a telehealth location closure to home for Veterans in the Wickenburg area. This new
location will reduce obstacles of long travel times to appointments and poor internet connectivity at
home.
• Community Resource and Referral Center continues to offer COVID 19 testing to Veterans upon
intake to the homeless programs.

Improved Veteran Experience:
• 01/15/21 Virtual Observance to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr
• 01/19/21 Women’s Health Services: Transgender and Gender Diverse Health Care webinar to
improve communication skills of VA clinicians who treat transgender and gender diverse
Veterans.
• On January 27, 2021, the PVAHCS hosted a virtual Veteran Town Hall. Topics covered
included updates on construction projects, COVID-19 related care, COVID-19 vaccines, and
several Q&As from the participants.

PVAHCS Update (January 31, 2021)