DICATIONS

Parent Facility: San Antonio VAMC
             Phone:  (210) 617-5300 or (888) 686-6350

WELCOME

Our staff welcomes you to the Harlingen VA Outpatient Clinic.  Please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with our clinic.  We offer quality healthcare Monday, Wednesday thru Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and on Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The clinic is closed on weekends and national holidays.

• Team approach to reach goals

• Efficient, timely service

• Awesome attitude of patient staff

• Maximizing benefits through education and awareness

Primary care is when one provider coordinates all your medical care. You will usually see this provider, however; when needed, you will be referred for specialty tests or treatment. Reports of this care are returned to the primary care provider, who can coordinate all your care.

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In addition to primary care, this clinic has a laboratory, mental health, nutrition, social work, and services available to eligible veterans. Please ask your primary care provider for more information.

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The Harlingen VA Outpatient Clinic does not provide after hour care. The clinic closes at 4:30 p.m. weekdays and is closed weekends and holidays. Tele-Care is available providing 24-hour telephone medical advice to veteran-patients. This service has bilingual capability and provides prompt, reliable, and courteous answers to patients’ questions. Calling the VA’s toll free number at 1-888-686-6350 can access this service.

TeleCare

The TeleCare provides telephone medical advice to veterans of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System.  The service has bilingual capability and provides prompt, reliable and courteous answers to patient's questions.  Veteran-patients and their family members can contact the VA's toll free number at 1-888-686-6350 to access TeleCare.

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The Harlingen Outpatient clinic does not provide emergency services. If you have a medical emergency, call 911or your local medical emergency room.

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We operate on scheduled appointments.  Our appointment system is designed to provide you with a reminder letter prompting you to call our clinic when it is time for you to schedule your next visit. It is your responsibility to contact us in order to schedule your appointment once you receive the prompt letter.

Report to the clinic 15 to 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment to allow time to park your car and register with the receptionist.

You are encouraged to keep all scheduled appointments.  Failure to report as scheduled may result delays in receiving treatment and medications necessary to your health. Give your current telephone number and address to the clinic clerk at each visit.  Please bring all your insurance information to each visit.

We encourage you to provide a list of all the medications you are taking, to your primary care provider.  These include medications you receive from private sector clinicians and over the counter medications along with herbals and multivitamins.

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Adequate parking is adjacent to the building to accommodate your needs.

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All prescriptions are available through the VA unless you are told otherwise.  Refills may be obtained from the clinic pharmacy or using TeleMed, our 24-hour telephone refill service.  You are responsible for mailing or calling your refill request at least 10-14 days before the last dose is taken.  Each prescription label states the number of refills remaining.   If you receive a medication which list “0” refills and you have been instructed to continue the medication, telephone the clinic’s nursing staff immediately so that either a new prescription can be written or an appointment can be scheduled.

TeleMed is our 24-hour telephone refill service, reached by calling 1-800-209-7377.  Have your complete social security number available and all refill numbers ready to enter into your telephone keypad.  A touch-tone telephone is necessary.

Inform the clinic of any address changes to receive your medications as soon as possible.  If you feel that a medication has not arrived when expected, please do not wait until your next appointment; call the clinic number and ask to speak with the nurse.

Telephone calls concerning medications and health-related matters are welcomed.

Your call will be taken by trained personnel who will ask for the name of the person calling, the name of the patient, the last four numbers of the social security number, symptoms and duration of illness, and a telephone call back number.

This information will be given to your nurse and/or primary care provider who will call you back.  Telephone calls will be returned as soon as possible.

This information will be given to your nurse and/or primary care provider who will call you back.  Telephone calls will be returned as soon as possible.

If you have any medical questions or problems between visits, please call us between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.  If your problem or concerns cannot be handled over the telephone, you will be:

1.  Told to call 911 if it is an emergency.

2.  Told to come to the clinic that day.

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You have the right to:

• Respectful care
• Complete information
• Informed consent
• Refuse treatment
• Privacy
• Confidentiality
• Acceptance for treatment
• Information about affiliation
• Refuse experimental treatment
• Knowledge of hospital regulations
• Information about continuing care
• Information about billing
• Get your medicine refilled
• Bring a relative with you when you see the doctor

For more information, contact:
Health Benefits Advisor:  (956) 316-4500