Medical Centers

The Veterans Health Administration is home to the largest integrated health care system consisting of 153 medical centers, in addition to numerous community based outpatient clinics, community living centers, Vet Centers and Doms. Together these health care facilities provide comprehensive care to over 5.5 million* Veterans each year.

Where is the Nearest Medical Center or other Health Care Facility?

Use our Facility Locator. You can enter your ZIP code and a list of the nearest health care facilities will be at your fingertips.

Common Medical Center Services

VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy.

In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.

Patient Advocates

Available at every medical center, Patient Advocates are highly trained professionals who can help resolve your concerns about any aspect of your health care experience, particularly those concerns that cannot be resolved at the point of care. Patient Advocates listen to any questions, problems, or special needs you may have and will refer your concerns to the appropriate Medical Center staff for resolution. Patient Advocates can be reached through the nursing or support staff in any clinical area.

Women Veterans

Each Medical Center has designated a Women Veterans Program Manager to assist women veterans with the coordination of all the services she may need. VHA offers a wealth of services to women veterans including comprehensive primary care as well as specialty care such as reproductive services, rehabilitation, mental health, and treatment for military sexual trauma. Interested women Veterans can contact your nearest medical center and ask for the Women Veterans Program Manager.

Returning Service Members

Every Medical Center has an Operation Enduring Freedom / Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) care management team ready to welcome OEF/OIF Veterans and help coordinate their care. Case managers, who are either nurses or social workers, coordinate patient care activities and help our newest Veterans navigate through the VA system and Transition Patient Advocates (TPA) act as a personal advocate while Veterans move through the VA Health Care System. You can learn more about the OEF/OIF Program, including how to the team at your nearest medical center, on our Returning Service Members website.

Mental Health Services

VHA Medical Centers and Community-Based Outpatient Clinics provide specialty inpatient and outpatient mental health services, in addition to the readjustment counseling services provided by our Vet Centers. Our services focus on areas such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Suicide Prevention, Military Sexual Trauma, Substance Abuse, Violence Prevention, and other mental health problems.

Polytrauma

Polytrauma care is for Veterans and returning service members with two or more injuries to more than one physical region or organ system of their body, one of which may be life threatening. Examples of polytrauma include traumatic brain injury (TBI), hearing loss, amputations, fractures, burns, and visual impairment. VHA offers a network of sites specially equipped to provide Veterans with comprehensive specialized rehabilitation and care led by a team of professionals and consultants from all specialties related to the polytrauma.

Other Useful Terminology

Healthcare System — In many areas of the country, several medical centers and clinics may work together to offer services to area Veterans as a Healthcare System (HCS) in an effort to provide more efficient care. By sharing services between medical centers, Healthcare Systems allow VHA to provide Veterans easier access to advanced medical care closer to their home.

Examples of Healthcare Systems include the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System which serves the Pittsburgh area of Pennsylvania, and the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System which serves the Seattle and Tacoma areas of Washington state.

Community Based Outpatient Clinic — To make access to health care easier, VHA offers over 800 Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) across the country. These clinics provide the most common outpatient services, including health and wellness visits, without the hassle of visiting a larger medical center. VHA continues to expand our network of CBOCs to include more rural locations, making access to care closer to home.

Community Living Center — Community Living Centers (CLC) are skilled nursing facilities, often referred to as nursing homes. Veterans with chronic stable conditions such as dementia, those requiring rehabilitation or those who need comfort and care at the end of life are served within one of our 135 Community Living Centers*.

Domiciliary — Forty-eight VHA Domiciliaries* provide a variety of care to Veterans who suffer from a wide range of medical, psychiatric, vocational, educational, or social problems and illnesses in a safe, secure homelike environment.

Vet Center — Vet Centers provide readjustment counseling and outreach services to all Veterans who served in any combat zone. Services are also available for family members dealing with military related issues. VHA operates 232 community based Vet Centers* in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.

Veterans Integrated Services Network — The VHA Healthcare System is organized into 21 regions called Veterans Integrated Services Networks (VISN). Each VISN is responsible for coordination and oversight of all administrative and clinical activities within its specified region of the country.

* As of Fiscal Year 2008, as reported in the Department of Veterans Affairs FY 2010 Budget Submission.