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Patient Advocates

The patient advocates at VA Phoenix health care are specially trained to help you resolve issues with your care. If you've experienced any problems that you haven't been able to resolve by talking with your care team, please reach out to one of our patient advocates.

Veterans Crisis Line

If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please dial 911.  If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, please call the Veteran Crisis Line 1- and Press1 or 988. The Veterans Crisis Line is also available by chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat and text 838255.

Care we provide at VA Phoenix health care

Our patient advocates work hard to make sure you receive the best possible care. They offer help with:

  • Compliments
  • Recommendations
  • Patient concerns with the care team
  • Advocating for patient and family rights

Service Level Patient Advocate Program 

At a time when customer service counts more than ever, the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System has established a Service Level Patient Advocate Program to better meet the needs of for you and your family. The Patient Advocate Program was developed to provide patients and their families with assistance in an increasingly complex and technical health care system. The advocates serve as a liaison between the patient and the VA. The Patient Rights and the Patient Advocate Programs are strongly supported at this Medical Center.

Service level patient advocates are available to assist with resolving issues and concerns in their individual service or section and should be contacted prior to contacting a Facility Patient Advocate. Initiate contact when an issue/concern arises in your service area. If the issue/concern cannot be resolved at the service area, Facility Patient Advocates are available to assist in addressing your complaints and family concerns. 

Connect with a Patient Advocate

The Phoenix VA Office of Patient Advocacy (OPA) is located within the Veteran Resource Center at the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center on the first floor and within the Veteran Resource Center at the Phoenix 32nd Street VA Clinic. The Veteran Resource Centers are open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., and Wednesday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

There are several ways to get in contact with the with the Phoenix VA Office of Patient Advocacy (OPA):

Via Phone: by calling the Veteran Resource Call Center and speaking with a Patient Relations Assistant who will be able to provide in-depth resource information regarding your VA Healthcare and if needed will transfer you to the Patient Advocate Voicemail Line where you can leave a detailed message, receiving a call back from a Patient Advocate within 3 business days.
Via MyHealtheVet: where you can secure message the Phoenix VA Office of Patient Advocacy (OPA).
Via Mail: 650 E. Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85012-1892, Attn: Office of Patient Advocacy

Briggs-Franklin

Victoria Briggs-Franklin

Supervisory Patient Advocate

VA Phoenix health care

Pawlak

Matthew Pawlak

Senior Patient Advocate

VA Phoenix health care

McDonald

Ceilan McDonald

Patient Advocate

VA Phoenix health care

Shanahan

Kelly Shanahan

Patient Advocate

VA Phoenix health care

Leslie

LeRae Leslie

Patient Advocate

VA Phoenix health care

Bostick

Joel Bostick

Patient Advocate

VA Phoenix health care

Vinson

Marquis Vinson

Patient Advocate

VA Phoenix health care

McCray

Randall McCray

Patient Advocate

VA Phoenix health care

Saugling

Robert Saugling

Patient Advocate

VA Phoenix health care