MANILA VA OUTPATIENT CLINICANNOUNCEMENTS AND REMINDERS March 2022

Allen “Pop” Reeves American Legion Post 123
MANILA VA OUTPATIENT CLINIC

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REMINDERS

March 2022

UPDATES FROM THE CLINIC MANAGER

Happy March from your VA Manila Outpatient Clinic. It has been a busy and productive first few months of the year. We are rapidly approaching a return to pre-pandemic levels of daily appointments, lab tests, and prescriptions dispensed. With much of the Philippines experiencing low rates of COVID-19 transmission and cases, we have a lot to be positive and optimistic about. I can tell you it has been great to see our waiting areas full of Veterans attending to their healthcare needs. As the Philippines has lifted entry restrictions and quarantine requirements, we are also seeing several Veterans who are able to return to the Philippines after a long hiatus.

In line with Metro Manila moving to Alert Level 1, Veterans coming for in-person appointments at VA Manila will notice a few differences in our COVID-19 safety protocols. The first major change that I am pleased to announce is that as of March 1, 2022, VA Manila is no longer conducting symptom and temperature screening for visitors to the Outpatient Clinic. This is in line with the operations at VA-facilities located in the United States. Veterans who have in person appointments are still asked to self-monitor their own health and symptoms, and to reschedule or convert their appointments to virtual modalities if they are not feeling well or are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, such as fever, cough, loss of taste/smell, etc.  VA Manila is relying on our Veterans to help ensure the health and safety of our employees. At this time, VA Manila has not yet resumed offering walk-in appointments, but hope that we will have positive news on this front in the next month or two if COVID-19 transmission in the Philippines remains low. While we are no longer screening, we are still requiring that Veterans wear a surgical grade face mask over their nose and mouth while located within the Outpatient Clinic and maintain physical distancing when possible. These important steps help to limit the risk of exposure and transmission of COVID-19.

I also want to share that we are undergoing some staffing changes at the Manila OPC. We recently promoted two Medical Support Assistants into nursing positions. Medical Support Assistants are our front-line staff who help schedule appointments, answer telephones, and provide administrative support to our Veterans.  While we are working to backfill these positions, I have observed that our hold times for telephone help have increased – and at some peak times are exceeding ten minutes. Let me apologize up front if you’ve been one of these Veterans who have had to wait on hold much longer than I would like, and know we are quickly working to fix this.  While that may take a few more weeks, in the meantime, I want to ask for Veterans help – and consider using Secure Messenger within MyHealtheVet to correspond with the Outpatient Clinic for the next 6-8 weeks. Out of the nearly 5,000 secure messages the Clinic received in January, only 4 were not responded to within 3 days. So, Secure Messenger is a safe and fast alternative to corresponding with the Clinic if you would prefer to not wait on hold via telephone or have a non-urgent need. Please also consider sending an SM to your clinical team if you need to update your local contact information – a new address, phone number, or any other contact information we need to update. We are working to correct this and will return to an acceptable level of telephone service soonest.

If you don’t yet have a MyHealtheVet account, Veterans can also consider contacting VA Manila through the www.va.gov website, by using the AskVA tool – available at: https://www.va.gov/contact-us/.

The AskVA Tool has replaced the old Information Routing and Inquiry System (IRIS) which some Veterans may remember.

As always, if you have specific questions or concerns, please reach out to VA Manila and we will do everything we can to assist. Thank you for your service, and for allowing VA Manila to be your healthcare provider.

COVID-19 VACCINE UPDATES:

As I shared with you during our last COVID-19 update at the end of January, we are starting to wind-down our COVID-19 vaccination efforts. We have been providing vaccines to Veterans for nearly one year now and have provided 8,299 vaccines and boosters as of yesterday. We currently have 17 vials of Pfizer vaccine remaining (a total of 102 doses) and are offering vaccines and boosters daily to Veterans with appointments at the Clinic. If you would like to get a vaccine or a booster, please contact the Clinic via email at ManilaCOVIDVaccine@va.gov ASAP. Especially if you would like to receive your first and second doses, you must contact the Clinic in the next two to three days to ensure we will still have a supply available to provide you with a second dose.

Given the relatively low demand for vaccines and boosters at VA Manila over the last 30 days, and the wide availability of vaccines throughout the Philippines, VA Manila does not have plans to receive any additional shipments of COVID-19 vaccines. Of course, if further vaccines / boosters become recommended, this would change, but given current guidance and vaccine availability, once these remaining doses have been administered, we plan to suspend our COVID-19 vaccine efforts.  I will continue to keep the Veteran community apprised of any further developments along this front.

To schedule your COVID-19 vaccine or booster:

-Phone the clinic at +63 (02) 8550-3888, press option 2 to reach the Outpatient Clinic. You can also use VA Manila’s toll-free phone from your Philippine mobile number (Sun, Smart, Globe): #MyVA (#6982).

-Email ManilaCovidVaccine@va.gov or send a secure message to your team.  Please include your preferred date and time in your message and we will schedule within one hour of your preferred time if available and confirm your appointment via email / secure message.

-Use the AskVA Tool to send a message to the Clinic if you don’t have Secure Messenger / MyHealtheVet – available online: https://www.va.gov/contact-us/.

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:

PH – Maundy Thursday – Thursday, April 14, 2022

PH – Good Friday – Friday, April 15, 2022

PH – Eid al-Fitr (Feast of Ramadhan) – TBD: Likely Tuesday, May 3, 2022

** Subject to the announcement from Malacañang Palace.

With the Easter Holiday coming up in April 17, please ensure any needed medication refills are ordered NLT April 1, 2022. Air21 and LBC will likely not deliver any prescriptions during the holidays leading up to Easter.

NOTE: Plan 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.

FOREIGN MEDICAL PROGRAM (FMP) UPDATES

TIPS FOR FAST FMP REIMBURSEMENT

Email or fax your claim instead of mailing it. You will reduce processing time by at least two weeks. 

                             Email: hac.fmp@va.gov

Fax number: 1-303-331-7803

Submit your claim in one complete package.  A complete package includes:

A completed VAF 10-7959F-2, Foreign Medical Program (FMP) Claim Cover Sheet.

Use a permanent address where mail will always reach you.

Include a diagnosis or nature of illness or injury

Doctor’s name and medical title

Doctor’s office address

Doctor’s office telephone number

Doctor’s billing address if different from office address

Include claim information – ESPECIALLY the Diagnosis Treated

Narrative Description of each service and/or drug (This determines if the condition is Service Connected)

Each service’s billed charge

Date(s) of service.

Submitting a claim to FMP without all the required information will result in your claim be denied and you will have to resubmit a new claim.

HOW CAN I HELP GET MORE HOSPITALS TO ACCEPT FMP?

Contact your Veteran Organizations, Retired Activity Officers and Post Commanders to meet with hospital leadership in your community.   Several hospitals on the current list are there because the RAO and Veterans organizations facilitated their participation.

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. Veterans should also receive a confirmation text 7 days and 2 days before a scheduled appointment.

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 contact the clinic’s Traveling Veteran Coordinator (TVC) via Secure Messenger/MyHealtheVet. 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.

NO VALID GOVERNMENT ID/NO ENTRY/NO EXCEPTIONS:

The U.S. Embassy Regional Security Office no longer permit employees, Veterans, attendants, and family members to enter a U.S. Embassy facility to include the VA Manila Regional Office and Outpatient Clinic without a valid government picture ID.  Family members and attendants over the age of 14 will also need to provide a valid government ID.

COMPUTER LAPTOPS PROHIBITED:

The U.S. Embassy, including VA Manila, no longer permits Veterans, attendants and family members to enter a U.S. Embassy facility with a computer laptop.  Do not bring any large electronic device as the U.S. Embassy guards nor VA staff are permitted to accept or store the device.

OTHER PROHIBITED ITEMS:

Visitors, attendants and family members are prohibited from bringing into a U.S. Embassy facility, including VA Manila, weapons of any kind to include pocket knives, cameras, recording devices, and large electronic devices.  Veterans, attendants, family members and visitors are prohibited from taking photos inside the facility and are prohibited from leaving their personal belongings in the reception lobby.

Daniel  Gutkoski, MHA
VA Manila Outpatient Clinic
US Embassy to the Philippines, Seafront Compound
1501 Roxas Boulevard, 1302 Pasay City, Metro Manila
+63 (02) 8396-3735 – Direct Dial
#MyVA (#6982) – Toll Free