On Jan. 12 the U.S. Department of Veterans affairs announced that all of its more than 1,000 health care facilities will now offer same-day service for veterans with urgent primary care or mental health needs.
Same-day service means that a veteran who experiences a need for urgent primary care or mental health care will be provided with assistance that falls under the following categories:
- A face-to-face visit with a clinician
- Advice provided during a call with a nurse
- A telehealth, or video care visit
- An appointment made with a specialist
- A prescription filled the same day
What service is provided depends on the veteran’s specific health needs.
“We made a commitment to our nation’s veterans that we would work to reduce wait times and improve access, and we are doing it,” said VA Secretary Dr. David J. Shulkin.
VA has concentrated on reforming its services for veterans since 2014. In this time VA has decreased patient wait times and streamlined the process for which veterans schedule follow-up appointments for time sensitive medical care.
57.5 million appointments were completed for veterans in 2017.
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