Welcome

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

South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS) and McAllen VA Outpatient Clinic support our mission of quality and excellence in health care.
 

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.

How does the Open Access Scheduling system work?

• At the end of each visit, your provider will determine whether a follow-up visit is required.
• If a follow-up visits is required, then your provider will recommend an approximate date for your next visit.
• If your provider wants you to return within 30 days, you will be scheduled an appointment before you leave the clinic.
• If the recommended return date is beyond 30 days you will be mailed a reminder letter two weeks prior to the date, advising you to call for an appointment.
• When you call, every effort will be made to schedule you within 5 to 7 working days.
• If you develop a medical problem prior to your next scheduled visit, you may call the clinic scheduling department and ask to speak to your primary care nurse for instruction. (956) 618-7145 or 1-866-622-5536
• If you do not receive a reminder letter and you believe the time has past to schedule an appointment please call the above telephone numbers.
• Walk-in appointments are not recommended.

Report to the clinic 15 to 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment time to allow time to park your car and register with your Team Patient Service Assistant (PSA).

You are encouraged to keep all scheduled appointments.  Failure to report as scheduled may result in delays in receiving treatment and medications necessary to your health.  If is very important for you to provide us during each of your visits your current home/cell telephone numbers, your current address and insurance information.  Please bring all of 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 multi-vitamins. 

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

All prescriptions are available thru the VA unless you are told otherwise.  Refills may be obtained using TeleMed, our 24-hour telephone refill service, 1-800-209-7377 or by mailing your prescription refill slip to 2101 S Col. Rowe Blvd, McAllen Texas 78503.  Allow 10 - 14 days to receive medication in the mail.  You are responsible for mailing or calling your refill requests at least 10 to 14 days before the last dose is taken.  Each prescription label states the number of refills remaining.  If you receive a medication which lists “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 calling1-800-209-7377.  Have your complete social security number available and refill numbers ready to enter into your telephone key pad.  A touch-tone telephone is necessary.

Inform the clinic of any address changes to receive your medications in a timely manner.  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 pharmacy department. Telephone calls concerning medications and health related matters are welcome.

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. 

If you have any medical questions or concerns between visits please call us between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. M-F.  If we cannot handle your problem over the phone you will be instructed to:

• Call 911 if it is an Emergency
• Come to the clinic that day
• Be Given an appointment in the next few days