Page 3 - Handbook

Welcome To Your Clinic
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.
CRA was established in 1997 and is the largest provider of
contracted Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) to the
Department of Veterans Affairs serving more than 50,000 Veterans
across the United States.
We are proud of this opportunity to serve you and that you have
entrusted your health care to us. We jointly pledge to you the very
finest in health care and customer service.
Please review this patient handbook and keep it handy. It contains
information about your clinic, your rights, and your responsibilities. It
will prove valuable whether you are a new patient or a long-time VA
user.
If you have questions or concerns not covered in these pages,
please call me at 814-542-2800. The clinic staff is ready to help you
understand and assist you with your medical condition. Sometimes,
the most confusing issues involve VA eligibility or benefit information
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.
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
your honest answers, but more than that, we want to know your
concerns immediately, long before you get a survey. When a minor
irritation sits, it usually gets worse, so let us know immediately and
we’ll either fix it or explain why we can’t. If you have a grievance
about the care you have received, please stop by my office or
request to see me.
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
Your Responsibilities – You Should:
 Follow the clinic’s safety rules and posted signs;
 Be considerate and respectful of staff and other patients;
 Cooperate with your treatment staff. If you have questions or
disagree with your treatment plan, you should discuss them with
your treatment staff;
 Call for an appointment when you need one, instead of just
walking into the clinic. A phone call first may save you time and
gas;
 Please make every effort to attend your scheduled
appointments, if you cannot make your appointment we ask that
you cancel your appointment in ADVANCE, a missed
appointment by you is a missed opportunity for a fellow Veteran
to receive the care he/she may need;
 Avoid interference with others’ treatment, especially in
emergencies;
 Alert staff when you or anyone else needs help;
 Make sure you understand what medications you should be
taking and their proper dosage;
 Order prescription refills through the VA Medical Center at least
10 days prior to running out.
Services Provided
 Primary care and care management (PACT)
 Routine laboratory and electrocardiogram (EKG)
 Medication Management
 Immunizations, i.e. flu shots, pneumonia, tetanus
 Women’s Health Services
 Telemedicine/Telehealth Services
 Mental Health Services
 My HealtheVet/Secure Messaging