VVA Chapter PI 887

Allen “Pop” Reeves American Legion Post 123

MANILA VA OUTPATIENT CLINIC
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REMINDERS

January 2022

UPDATES FROM THE CLINIC MANAGER

Even though the calendar has switched from 2021 to 2022, it seems we continue to have significant impacts and disruptions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Here in the Philippines, despite a relatively calm December with low rates of COVID cases and transmission, it would seem the Omicron variant has finally arrived. As many local and global news outlets have reported, the Omicron variant does appear to spread more easily from person to person than previous COVID variants like Delta, so we all should make sure we are taking appropriate precautions and following the recommendations to stay healthy and safe. Of course, after nearly two years, you already know these precautions by heart: wearing a mask, washing our hands, maintaining physical distance from others when possible. It is also more important than ever to make sure you have received your COVID-19 vaccine and a booster. VA Manila has booster appointments available on several upcoming weekends. See below for additional details.

Based on current COVID-19 conditions here in the Philippines, VA Manila will be contacting some Veterans with scheduled upcoming appointments during the week of January 10 – 14 and converting their scheduled in-person appointments to either telephone or video connect appointments. We want to ensure that Veterans, visitors, and the OPC clinic staff stay healthy and safe, and this is most easily accomplished by reducing the number of visitors to the Clinic for routine medical services. For Veterans with scheduled internal medicine or mental health appointments the week of January 10-14, a staff member will reach out to you very shortly with options. If you would prefer to reschedule your appointment as a face-to-face visit to a later date, we will do our best to accommodate you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding as we continue to rapidly evolve in the everchanging face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is also a good opportunity to again remind Veterans that VA Manila IS NOT a COVID-19 treatment facility. We do not have the ability to provide COVID-19 testing and cannot diagnose or treat Veterans with COVID-19. If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, please contact your local LGU/barangay health line, or report to the nearest hospital. VA Manila continues to screen all arriving Veterans and companions for COVID-19 symptoms. If you are feeling ill, please call VA Manila for advice and DO NOT travel to the Clinic. We are trying to maintain VA Manila as a COVID free environment to the maximum extent possible. We greatly appreciate your cooperation with this and helping our staff continue to serve Veterans.

Lastly, let me take this moment to wish you and your family a safe, happy, and most importantly, healthy 2022. Manigong bagong taon!

CLINICAL SERVICES UPDATE: DISCONTINUATION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE PRESCRIPTIONS FROM VA MANILA EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2022

I am writing to provide advanced notification of an upcoming change in available services for Veterans who receive medical benefits from the VA Manila Outpatient Clinic. Effective October 1, 2022, VA has determined that it will be beyond the limits of the VA Manila Outpatient Clinic to prescribe or dispense controlled substance medications to Veterans living in or traveling through the Philippines. This includes all controlled substance medications, from Schedule II to Schedule V medications. Some common examples of controlled substance medications include certain pain medications, some mental health medications, sleep medications, and others. VA is providing this message to all Veterans as advanced notice of this upcoming change. This provides nearly 9 months for impacted Veterans may make informed decisions about the future of their healthcare, and so that the VA Manila Outpatient Clinic can safely and effectively discuss alternate medical arrangements.

Above all else, the Veterans Health Administration’s mission is “Honor America’s Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.” New research and studies on the use of controlled substances for the chronic treatment of pain, anxiety, and/or PTSD may no longer be optimal care, and carries substantial risks due to overdose, toxicity, and other complications.

VA Manila is not equipped to provide the necessary oversight of controlled substance medications that is required to safely dispense and monitor Veterans who are using these medications in the Philippines. Controlled substance medications are dangerous and come with substantial risk to the Veteran who uses them. The Philippines is prone to natural disasters, often which impact shipping packages to and from Manila and other provinces where our Veteran patients live. The COVID-19 pandemic and the Taal Volcanic eruption in early 2020 showed just how vulnerable VA Manila’s supply chain is to disruptions from events well beyond our control – many of which cannot be mitigated against. Based on these and other extenuating factors, VA Manila and VISN 21 leadership have made the decision that it is time to stop offering this service.

For Veterans who are impacted by this change, I know this will seem unexpected and that there may be a lot of questions. VA Manila will be reaching out to you individually by letter and telephone. Soon, VA Manila will want to see all Veterans impacted by this change for an in-person appointment over the next three months so that we can begin to discuss care transition plans and ensure all Veterans have a strategy in place ahead of this change’s implementation date of October 1, 2022. Impacted Veterans will be contacted by their clinical care teams to discuss alternatives that may be available from VA Manila, such as transitioning to non-controlled substance medications, or how a Veteran might transition care to community providers in the Philippines utilizing the Foreign Medical Program to reimburse out of pocket expenses.  We want to work with you together as your partner in this journey to ensure the most optimal care possible.

If you have questions or need additional information, feel free to contact your clinical care team via MyHealtheVet, or by telephone at: +63 (02) 8550-3888, Option 2.

COVID-19 VACCINE UPDATES:

VA Manila continues to provide COVID-19 vaccines and boosters to eligible, service-connected Veterans. Veterans who would like to receive their booster should contact VA Manila to schedule their appointment. You can call the Clinic during regular business hours, or email us at manilacovidvaccine@va.gov.

VA Manila is currently providing Pfizer vaccinations and boosters. Veterans who received a J&J / Janssen primary vaccine at VA Manila are eligible and encouraged to receive a Pfizer booster. CDC has approved using different vaccine brands for the primary vaccine doses and the booster dose, and studies have shown this may result in higher levels of protective immunity.  Currently, the only brand of vaccine VA Manila has available is the Pfizer vaccine. We do not anticipate receiving additional vaccine brands, such as J&J or Moderna, in the near future. Veterans who would prefer to receive a different brand of vaccine other than Pfizer may wish to contact their LGU or Department of Health representatives

The Clinic has available vaccine appointments on the following days:

Monday, January 17            9:00 AM   to   2:30PM         (~50 appointments)

Thursday, January 20         10:30 AM to 11:30AM         (~12 appointments)

Thursday, January 27         10:30 AM to 11:30AM         (~18 appointments)

Saturday, January 29          9:00 AM   to   2:30PM         (~200 appointments)

Saturday, February 5          9:00 AM   to   2:30PM         (~240 appointments)

Sunday, February 6             9:00 AM   to   2:30PM         (~240 appointments)

Because the Pfizer vaccine requires special handling to prepare it for administration, we cannot accommodate walk-in appointments during our mass-vaccine clinics. We also ask that Veterans arrive only 15 minutes ahead of their scheduled vaccine time. This helps to ensure patients are seen at their scheduled time and that we have enough seating while maintaining physical distancing.

At the conclusion of the February 5 and 6 Pfizer Booster Clinics, VA Manila will evaluate the need for additional booster clinics. Our current supply of Pfizer vaccine will last until the end of February 2022. At this point, VA Manila has already provided more than 8,000 COVID-19 primary vaccine and booster shots. With the wide availability of vaccine options in the Philippines, Veterans have many options to access a vaccine from PH Department of Health or LGU providers in their province/barangay. We will continue to keep all Veterans apprised of our vaccine efforts via email messages.

UPCOMING CLINIC CLOSURES: 

The U.S. Embassy, along with the VA Manila Regional Office and Outpatient Clinic, will be closed in recognition of the following public holidays:

US Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – Monday, January 17, 2022 (observed)

**VA Manila will be open on MLK day for a Mass Vaccine Clinic for Service-Connected Veterans with scheduled vaccine appointments only***

PH Chinese New Year – Tuesday, February 1, 2022

US Washington’s Birthday/President’s Day – Monday, February 21, 2022

NOTE: Plan ahead and order your refills 10 workdays in advance of holiday closures.  Air21 is also closed on these holidays so medications will be delayed if you fail to request refills 10 days in advance. If you run out of medications for a service-connected condition, you can buy a short-term supply of needed medicine and file a claim for reimbursement from the FMP. VA Manila’s pharmacy has refilled all prescriptions due for renewal until January 3, 2022 and has already mailed them via Air21.

VA MANILA REGIONAL OFFICE AND OUTPATIENT CLINIC TELEPHONE NUMBERS

VA Manila Main Line – +63 (02) 8550-3888

VA Manila Toll Free Phone:  +63 1 (800) 1888-5252;  or #MyVA (#6982)

AudioCare (Pharmacy Refills): +63 (02) 8556-8387

Clinical Fax (Medical Records): +63 (02) 8550-3964

Patient Advocate: +63 (02) 8396-3716

Clinic Manager: +63 (02) 8396-3735

Option 1 – Regional Office

Option 2 – Outpatient Clinic

Option 3 – Transfer to Veterans Evaluation Services (VES)

Option 4 – Transfer to the Foreign Medical Program’s Hotline

Option 5 – Transfer to VBA Offices in the United States

Option 6 – Transfer to the VA MISSION Act Hotline

Option 7 – Transfer to the Veteran’s Crisis Line

Option 8 – Transfer to VA Manila’s AudioCare Line (Pharmacy Refills)

PLEASE DON’T NO-SHOW!!! REMINDER TO CANCEL APPOINTMENTS

This serves as a friendly reminder to all Veterans who use the VA Manila Outpatient Clinic for their medical care, please cancel any appointments that you will not be able to keep. When Veterans do not cancel appointments, VA loses an opportunity to provide medical services to your fellow Veterans, decreases provider productivity, and requires additional administrative time from our staff to reschedule appointments. Ideally, we ask that Veterans notify the VA Outpatient Clinic at least 48 hours in advance of their appointment if you determine you have a scheduling conflict. This allows the Clinic’s Advanced Medical Support Assistants (AMSAs) to reach out to other Veterans waiting for care to offer them the new time slot. Our AMSAs typically reach out to all Veterans 72 hours before their appointments to confirm attendance. Additionally, the VA’s AudioCare reminder system makes telephone reminder calls between 24-48 hours before Veteran appointments.

Please be considerate to your fellow Veterans and do your part if you have a scheduled appointment that you won’t be able to keep. You can reach the clinic at +63 (2) 8550-3888, Option 2, or toll free at #MyVA (#6982) from any mobile phone.

COMPLETION OF VA AND NON-VA MEDICAL FORMS

VHA privacy and release of information policies and procedures are applied to releasing any VA or Non-VA Medical statements or medical forms completed on behalf of the Veteran.

VA Providers can complete medical statements/forms with respect to a Veteran‘s medical condition and functionality, to the best of their ability based on their scope, clinical expertise and available historical evidence.

Complete a VA Form 10-5345 and leave it together with the medical statement/form you want completed with the Office of Release of Information. Here is a link to the form on VA’s webpage: https://www.va.gov/vaforms/medical/pdf/10-5345.pdf.

Expect a VA Manila response within 20 working days.

Veterans requesting assistance with submitting a VA disability benefits claim should access the VBA Internet website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation or call +63 (02) 8550-3888 and press 1 for additional assistance or check in at the VBA Reception Desk

PLANNING TO TRAVEL TO THE UNITED STATES?

Veterans planning to travel to the United States and want to continue medical treatment should call the clinic’s Traveling Veteran Coordinator (TVC) at +63 (02) 8550-3888, press option 2.  Our TVC can facilitate your care with her counterpart in the United States. Your VA Manila provider will recommend coordination when needed care with an alternate VA facility near you is required.  Please allow 4 to 6 weeks lead time to ensure appointments can be prearranged upon your arrival.

VETERANS CRISIS LINE The Veterans Crisis Line connects Veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified and caring Department of Veteran Affairs responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat or text.  Veterans and their loved ones can call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1.  To learn more about the Veterans Crisis Line or to chat online, go to https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/ and click on the appropriate link.