Good news everybody! Our VAPHS will be opening an urgent care clinic sometime soon at the University Drive Division! Instead of going to the ER and waiting for hours, you'll be able to go to the clinic and be treated for the flu, ear aches, rashes, stings and other illnesses that come upon you suddenly, but just aren't serious enough for the ER. You'll still be able to get the great care that you usually get from your PCP but you can get urgent care quicker without the long wait for an appointment. Keep checking back for more information as it becomes available. If you have any suggestions for what you would like to see offered at the clinic, please help them out and post it here!

I am a category 1 disabled veteran. I am writing to ask when we might have an urgent care center or “sick call” clinic? I have been dealing with a lot of wax in my ears that my doc couldn’t remove. I will not go to the ER for something like this to wait 3 or 4 hours. Since the addition of the psych clinics, I understand that you make those patients go thru the ER when they are being hospitalized, even if they don’t have any physical problems. That leaves us with routine health concerns out. I can’t get in to see my primary care doctor for weeks, and ENT consult would also take several days, if not weeks, and again, I will not take up space in the ER. My only option will be to use my outside insurance and pay a $35 copay to go to a UPMC urgent care facility. There is no reason that you can’t implement something like this. It is a big business for our local hospitals and it’s a huge convenience for those who have non-emergency health care needs. Please consider this. I would appreciate it if you could send this note to the director’s blog. I tried to find it but maybe only personnel who work at the hospital has access to it.

Join us for the Donation Collaborative Thurs Nov 8th at the Erie Convention Center. Registration is free. CEUs for RNs and SW, as well as CMEs for Physicians and Respiratory Therapists. For more information go to www.eriedonationcore.eventbrite.com

The Neurosurgery department at VAPHS is amazing! I highly recommend their services