Director's Message
ACC
April 2020
Dr. Kathy Ryder
VAPIHCS Interim Director
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Telehealth Saturdays for Veterans Veterans are highly encouraged to fill their prescriptions and complete laboratory and radiological orders during normal operating hours, 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Friday. VAPIHCS is actively working with state, county, and federal partners including the medical community in Hawaii to ensure our Veterans are receiving their care in the safest and most effective manner. You can be assured that VA Pacific Islands Health Care System is taking all the precautions to keep our Veterans we serve safe from COVID-19. Telehealth Options:
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Drive-Thru Pharmacy Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System’s (VAPIHCS) main priority is ensuring the safety of our Veterans and their staff, so effective this Monday, March 30 VA Pacific Islands Health Care System is proud to announce we have created a Drive-Thru Pharmacy for your convenience. Instead of parking in the parking lot, proceed to the open lot next to the VA Clinic on the west side of the Spark Matsunaga Medical Center. Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 0800-1200. Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 12-4 p.m. We will expand as needed. You can refill your prescription, have a new prescription processed, pick-up medications or receive immunizations while remaining in your car. For any concerns, please contact our Call Center 1-800-214-1306.Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 0800-1200. We will expand as needed. You can refill your prescription, have a new prescription processed, pick-up medications or receive immunizations while remaining in your car. For any concerns, please contact our Call Center 1-800-214-1306 We will expand as needed. You can refill your prescription, have a new prescription processed, pick-up medications or receive immunizations while remaining in your car. For any concerns, please contact our Call Center 1-800-214-1306 Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 0800-1200.We will expand as needed. You can refill your prescription, have a new prescription processed, pick-up medications or receive immunizations while remaining in your car.For any concerns, please contact our Call Center 1-800-214-1306 Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 0800-1200. We will expand as needed. You can refill your prescription, have a new prescription processed, pick-up medications or receive immunizations while remaining in your car. For any concerns, please contact our Call Center 1-800-214-1306 VAPIHCS is actively working with state, county, and federal partners including the medical community in Hawaii to ensure our Veterans are receiving their care in the safest and most effective manner. You can be assured that VA Pacific Islands Health Care System is taking precautions to keep our Veterans we serve safe from COVID-19. If you would like to be see through Telehealth Options:
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Chaplain Services:
Today we find ourselves faced with a matter that brings a high level of concern to us as individuals, as a community, a nation, and as a world. For the first time many of us find ourselves battling an unseen enemy that has threatened the predictable unpredictability of life and is bullying its way into our way of lives with anxiety, depression, and/or work stress. There is an old proverb that say “An anxious heart weighs a person down, but a kind word cheers a person up.” Today, let’s practice predictability. Let’s allow our aloha for one another outpace the worry of COVID-19 by sharing a kind word with someone. This battle is new for all of us, but know that we can help lift one another’s spirits, we are all in this together. Chaplain Service is here for our Veterans and we are here for you, too.
If you need spiritual assistance or emotional support, call and request a chaplain at: 433-0270.
Mike McGruder VAPIHCS Chaplain mike.mcgruder@va.gov
Prosthetic:
In an effort to help lessen the traffic within ACC and do all that we can to enforce social distancing, we had to think outside of the box. We noticed the majority of Veterans still coming to the prosthetic office were doing so for two reasons: to pick up applications for clothing allowance, and/or to drop off those applications or prescriptions for Durable Medical Equipment items from their community providers. Therefore, we created a “drop box” for anything that a Veteran wants to provide to our office, and we also provided the clothing allowance applications for Veterans to pick up in the ACC lobby.
Audiology and Optometry:
As of April 1, Audiology and Optometry clinics will only be scheduling and seeing patients via phone or VVC until further notice. Any calls for these services can come through the call center and scheduled via phone or VVC. Staff will be here to help address the calls that come in. Audiology has implemented a hearing aid drop off box in the ACC.
Leeward Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) :
As of April 6, Leeward CBOC providers will only see patients through VA Video Connect or the Telephone 1(800) 214-1306. All Laboratory, Pharmacy and Radiology services are available M-F at the Spark Matsunaga Medical Center Ambulatory Care Clinic (ACC)
PTSD Residential Recovery Program (PRRP)
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The VAPIHCS PTSD Residential Recovery Program (PRRP) has transitioned to a Virtual Platform after two weeks of our eight week residential programming in context of unit closure due to COVID-19. We are pleased to report that ten out of our twelve residential patients elected for ongoing intensive/comprehensive trauma-focused treatment that will occur via V-tel. iPads were secured prior to discharge to allow patients to have minimal interruption in care. A one week hiatus will occur between discharge and going live (3/30/20), to build virtual competency in our staff. Treatment will include individualized and group therapies, along with psych medication management (provided by a Psychiatrist), and Primary Care (provided by APRN), all through V-tel. Shout Out to the entire PRRP team and HAS for outstanding teamwork and collaboration to allow for ongoing access to care.
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VA Video Connect (VVC) New Veteran Orientation Online starting April is:
1st and 3rd Tuesday – 1300-1400
2nd and 4th Tuesday – 1100-1200
Call 1-800-214-1306 to schedule an appointment
How to stay connected:
- For the latest VA updates on COVID-19, visit https://www.va.gov/coronavirus
- hawaii.va.gov – submit your email to get updates
- Weekly Radio VA Updates TUESDAYS 9:30 a.m. 830AM KHVH with Rick Hamada, THURSDAYS 8:30 a.m. on AM690 The Answer - Aligned with Veterans hour with Mike Buck
