St. Cloud VA Health care
System announcement

News & Announcements

St. Cloud VA HCS Operations Update 

Safe care remains our goal as we continue operations in an ongoing pandemic. Routine operating hours for most services at our locations are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mon. - Fri., closed weekends, and federal holidays.  Appointments are required. Walk-ins are reserved for urgent medical or psychological needs only. The Urgent Care Clinic at the St. Cloud VA Medical Center (VAMC) is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week. Mental Health Triage is available in Bldg. 111 at the St. Cloud VAMC from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or through the Urgent Care Clinic. VA Clinics in Alexandria, Brainerd and Montevideo do not offer urgent care services and cannot accommodate walk-ins of any type.

If you do not have a scheduled appointment or are experiencing flu-like symptoms, call first.  

• All patients with flu-like symptoms are asked to call first. These symptoms include new or worsening: cough, shortness of breath, or fever; chills; muscle pain; sore throat; headache; new loss of taste or smell; or diarrhea.
• If you have had a positive COVID-19 test or are awaiting test results, or if you have been in close contact with someone who has had a positive COVID-19 test or is awaiting test results call us at (320) 252-1670 Option 2, or, if after hours select Option 3 before visiting us.

Prepare for a visit: Everyone entering our facilities is screened, and visitors are limited to one escort per Veteran. Face coverings (masks) are mandatory for in-person appointments. For some needs, you may be able to get care at home by phone or video. 

Roadside COVID-19 screening at the St. Cloud VAMC is paused from Aug. 16 to Aug. 27 while we evaluate effectiveness of interior screening.

Please use these entrances and exit points at the St. Cloud VAMC.

• Most Veterans will use the Bldg. 1, Main Entrance, open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends.
• Veterans with appointments in Bldg. 116 may enter in Bldg. 116, Rehabilitation Center, open 7 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., weekdays. For appointments in other locations in the medical center please use another entry point.
• Bldg. 111 — Outpatient Mental Health Clinic, open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., weekdays. After 4:30 p.m. and weekends by appointment only. 
• Bldg. 48/49 — Entrance Pavilion, open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., 7 days a week. This is primarily an entrance for staff and Community Living Center (CLC) patients and their visitors. For appointments in other locations in the medical center please use another entry point. 
• Bldg. T101 — open 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., on weekdays for scheduled appointments in Bldg. T101.
• Bldg. 95 — Canteen: open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., on weekdays.

Receiving Care  

• We are pleased to meet your needs through pre-scheduled face to face appointments or we offer virtual visits (telephone and video appointments). Virtual appointments allow you to receive the care you need at home, either by phone or via video on your computer, smartphone, or tablet, for your added convenience and safety.
• If you are a Veteran seeking medical care, please call (320) 252-1670 Option 2 before visiting to schedule appointments or to speak to a nurse, especially if you have COVID-19 related symptoms.
• When attending a scheduled appointment, do not plan to spend more time than necessary at the medical center as waiting areas are limited. Plan to arrive at the appointment location no sooner than 10 minutes prior to the scheduled appointment time. Please avoid unnecessary movement within the medical center and depart the medical center promptly when done. 

No Walk-in services except Urgent Care 

• Walk-ins are reserved for urgent medical or psychological needs only. The Urgent Care Clinic is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week. Mental Health Triage is available in Bldg. 111 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or through the Urgent Care Clinic.
• All other outpatient clinics, including Audiology, Optometry, Respiratory Therapy, Lab, and Imaging are not taking walk-ins.
• The Care in the Community Department takes walk-ins for referral assistance from 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. in Bldg. 29, Room 20, or call (320) 255-6401 for assistance. 
• Please call (320) 252-1670 Option 2 for all appointment options.

Most Dental patients require COVID-19 testing

• We apologize for any inconvenience. The Dental Clinic is implementing new procedures to keep Veterans and staff safe.
• Starting Aug. 9, all Veterans, regardless of vaccination status, attending dental appointments that generate aerosols (e.g. dental cleaning with high-speed dental handpieces, air/water syringes, air polishing and air abrasion and ultrasonic scalers) must be screened and tested for COVID-19 prior to their appointment.

Pharmacy is using an all mail-order system ONLY to refill prescriptions.

• Only URGENT prescriptions may be picked up at the Outpatient Pharmacy at the Medical Center. If you feel your situation is urgent please Call First, toll-free at 855-560-1724 and press option 8.
• Please allow 10-14 days for delivery of refills.

How to request a refill:

By phone: Make a toll-free call to 855-560-1724 to place refills.

Online: Request prescription refills online at www.myhealth.va.gov through MyHeatheVet. You can view your prescription history and track the delivery status of your package online.

By Mail: Mail in your prescription refill slip to:

St. Cloud VA, 4801 Veterans Drive, Attn: Pharmacy, St. Cloud, MN 56303   

Eyeglass and hearing aid repair drop off

Veterans in need of eyeglass or hearing aid repairs can either mail in their products or drop their products off at the front desk in the Optometry or Audiology clinics, respectively.  Walk-in appointments for Optometry and Audiology are still unavailable.  Veterans in need of an appointment can call (320) 252-1670 Ext. 5432 (Optometry) or (320) 252-1670 Ext. 4370 (Audiology) to schedule.

Additional Visitors Limited

As a safety precaution, Veterans attending outpatient appointments who require personal assistance are limited to one personal escort or assistant. Please plan appropriately. If additional assistance is required, please ask a staff member for assistance.

Residential Visitor Update

• VA Community Living Centers (CLC), Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (RRTP), and the Mental Health (MH) Acute Unit have implemented safeguards aimed at limiting COVID-19 exposure risk for patients who reside at a VA facility. To minimize the risk of exposure, no outside visitors will be permitted to see residents in the RRTP and MH Acute Unit unless a scheduled visit is made, and the visit is vital to the patient’s recovery.
• The CLC offers window, outdoor and limited room visits with residential Veterans. Please contact your resident's unit for current conditions. Visits must be scheduled in advance. Visitors will be required to:
• Check in at the unit’s nursing station for screening before each visit.
• Comply with social distancing and supply and wear their own well-fitting mask for the entirety of their visit.
• Limit visits to 1 hour in duration so others may also visit their residents. Exceptions to time limits must be approved by the care team at the time of scheduling.
• Limit the number of visitors to two people.  Exceptions to visitor limits must be approved by the care team at the time of scheduling.  
• The CLC will allow exceptions for compassionate cases when Veterans are in their last stages of life on hospice status. In those cases, visitors will be limited to a specific resident’s room only.