VA North Texas COVID-19 Update and Resources for Veterans

Veterans, stakeholders and community advocates:

VA and VA North Texas have implemented an aggressive public health response to protect and care for Veterans, their families, health care providers, and our employees in the face of this global pandemic.

Veterans: If you have symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath, call us at 214-857-2081 before going to one of our facilities or the Dallas campus based emergency room(ER). We now offer virtual ER care options that might save you an unnecessary trip. Calling first helps us protect you, medical staff, and other patients.

Big Picture: VA has administered over 30,000 COVID-19 tests nationwide, while taking aggressive steps to prevent COVID-19 transmission. Locally, these measures have included outreach to Veterans and employees, strict clinical screening at all of our facilities, and protective procedures for patients in our community living centers and spinal cord injury units. To date, 24 VA North Texas employees and 13 patients have tested positive for COVID-19 and are safely recovering in quarantine. 

Appointments: Every enrolled patient with a scheduled appointment over the last 2-weeks and well into the future should have, or will, receive a phone call from that clinic offering viable options for virtual or telephonic care should that Veteran not want to leave their homes. As always, patients can send secure messages via MyHealtheVet that will be answered by the physician and their staff of professionals as quickly as possible--usually the very same day. If you make the trip out to attend an in-person appointment, everyone visiting a VA North Texas facility will be screened at the approved entry points and asked this question: Do you have any cold or flu-like symptoms to include a new or worsening cough, fever, or shortness of breath? If you answer affirmatively to that question you will be guided to the COVID screening point.

VA Video Connect, VVC, allows Veterans and their caregivers to quickly and easily meet with VA health care providers through live video on any computer, tablet, or mobile device with an internet connection. VA Video Connect will work on nearly any device that has an internet connection; a web camera, microphone, and speakers. Every service, including primary care, pharmacy, mental health and social work are trained and equipped to provide VVC appointments to VA North Texas’ 184,000 enrolled patients. 

For more information about VA’s Video Connect, visit https://www.mobile.va.gov/app/va-video-connect.

Garland VA Medical Center: Logistical efforts, training and orientation is currently in progress to have up to 100 beds available by Monday, April 20th for any needed Veteran COVID-19 overflow. Depending on how the virus progresses/levels out, and the demand for related Veteran care, our current timeline projects us to have permanent outpatient primary and specialty care services in-place this Fall/early Winter. 

Prescriptions: Only urgent prescriptions will be available for pick-up at the Pharmacy window. All standard routine medications and refills can be requested by calling 1-888-364-5227 or online at www.myhealth.va.gov and will be mailed to our Veterans using the Consolidated Mail Order Pharmacy (CMOP). Most refill questions can be resolved by sending a secure message to your provider team or calling your clinic. 

The Texas Workforce Commission has put together a resource page for anyone whose employment has been impacted by the pandemic. There is an additional resources page for the unemployed here.

For the latest information about coronavirus visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To learn more on how VA is responding to COVID-19 visit our Coronavirus FAQs page or read VA's public health response. Read VA’s COVID-19 response plan here.

The 5,800 employees of VA North Texas stand ready to battle COVID-19 and are leading by example when it comes to service and sacrifice during this national crisis. As a director, I could not be prouder of the team that has the privilege of caring our nation's heroes. 

In your service,

Stephen R. Holt, MD, MPH, MSNRS
Director