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VA Healthcare Network Upstate New York - VISN 2
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Primary Care: What to Expect
Every patient who enrolls with a VA health care facility is assigned to a primary care provider. This provider is part of a Primary Care Team designed to coordinate all of the services you need to meet your health care needs. Whether that team is located in a VA medical center or in one of our community based outpatient clinics, your primary care visit will be set up and scheduled at your convenience.
During your visit:
- You will meet your assigned primary care provider
- You will have a physical examination.
- Your primary care provider will determine if you need any additional diagnostic testing, which may include blood/lab work, X-ray, EKG, etc.
- A complete medical history will be obtained. Bring a list of your current medications.
- Initial screenings may be done regarding your use of tobacco, alcohol, risk factors for Hepatitis C, and any history of military sexual trauma.
- Appropriate referrals for specialists will be made as necessary.
Preventive health maintenance is a strong emphasis within primary care at VA. Primary care providers provide annual physical examinations and screenings. This aids in finding any health changes and the early start of appropriate medical treatment. This may prevent or lessen major medical problems for you in the future. You can expect your primary care provider to discuss preventive health activities such as:
- Vaccines: flu, tetanus, pneumonia
- Depression screening
- Women's health issues: regular Pap smears and mammograms
- Education on prostate cancer screening for men over 50
- Colon cancer screening for anyone over 50
- Regular exercise and good nutrition to keep you healthy
Primary care providers and teams also evaluate any emergency medical needs between scheduled visits, arrange medication refills, answer questions about medications and order consultation by specialists.
Our goal in primary care is to improve the coordination of your health care needs. This will allow our health care professionals to provide the best care possible.
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| Reviewed/Updated Date: July 1, 2007 |
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