Page 10 - Handbook

Welcome To Your Clinic
Your Responsibilities – You Should:
Welcome to your local VA Primary Care Clinic – a partnership
between CRAssociates, Inc. (CRA) and the James E. Van Zandt VA
Medical Center at Altoona.  Follow the clinic’s safety rules and posted signs;
 Be considerate and respectful of staff and other patients;
CRA was established in 1997 and is the largest provider of  Cooperate with your treatment staff. If you have questions or
contracted Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) to the disagree with your treatment plan, you should discuss them with
Department of Veterans Affairs serving more than 50,000 Veterans your treatment staff;
across the United States.  Call for an appointment when you need one, instead of just
walking into the clinic. A phone call first may save you time and
We are proud of this opportunity to serve you and that you have gas;
entrusted your health care to us. We jointly pledge to you the very  Please make every effort to attend your scheduled
finest in health care and customer service. appointments, if you cannot make your appointment we ask that
you cancel your appointment in ADVANCE, a missed
Please review this patient handbook and keep it handy. It contains appointment by you is a missed opportunity for a fellow Veteran
information about your clinic, your rights, and your responsibilities. It to receive the care he/she may need;
will prove valuable whether you are a new patient or a long-time VA  Avoid interference with others’ treatment, especially in
user. emergencies;
 Alert staff when you or anyone else needs help;
If you have questions or concerns not covered in these pages,  Make sure you understand what medications you should be
please call me at 814-542-2800. The clinic staff is ready to help you taking and their proper dosage;
understand and assist you with your medical condition. Sometimes,  Order prescription refills through the VA Medical Center at least
the most confusing issues involve VA eligibility or benefit information 10 days prior to running out.
that the clinic staff may not be familiar with. When those issues
come up, please feel free to contact the Enrollment and Eligibility
office at the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center at 877-626-
2500 extension 7964. Services Provided

At some time in the future, you may receive a questionnaire from the
VA as part of VA efforts to improve patient satisfaction. We want  Primary care and care management (PACT)
your honest answers, but more than that, we want to know your  Routine laboratory and electrocardiogram (EKG)
concerns immediately, long before you get a survey. When a minor  Medication Management
irritation sits, it usually gets worse, so let us know immediately and  Immunizations, i.e. flu shots, pneumonia, tetanus
we’ll either fix it or explain why we can’t. If you have a grievance  Women’s Health Services
about the care you have received, please stop by my office or  Telemedicine/Telehealth Services
request to see me.  Mental Health Services
 My HealtheVet/Secure Messaging
Again, welcome to the VA Health Care Outpatient Clinic. The staff is
looking forward to a long and prosperous relationship with you.
Sincerely,

Administrator
Huntingdon County VA Health Care Outpatient Clinic