Health services

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

We use complementary medicine along with standard medical treatments, like using acupuncture to help lessen the side effects of chemotherapy. We also provide alternative medicine instead of traditional medical treatments, like using herbs rather than prescription drugs to treat cancer. We offer treatments, like:

• Natural products and special diets
• Deep breathing, meditation, and yoga
• Acupuncture and acupressure

We assess your situation and condition to decide which outpatient geriatric services are right for you or a senior Veteran in your care, and then we coordinate your care. Our team of specialists provides geriatric services that include:

• Medicine and nursing
• Psychology, psychiatry, and social work
• Physical and occupational therapy

Learn more about VA long-term care

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

Our pharmacy provides Veterans with convenient, efficient service to make it easy to get your medications and medical supplies. At our Alvin C. York and Nashville campuses, you can:

• Pick up new prescriptions in person
• Refill prescriptions online at www.myhealth.va.gov and by phone or mail
• Safely dispose of medicines

Our community-based outpatient clinics have pharmacist consultants available, but our pharmacies are solely located at the Alvin C. York and Nashville campuses.

Learn more about our pharmacy

Your VA primary care provider will work closely with you to plan for all the care you need to stay healthy and well throughout your life, including immunizations and vaccinations. They will also work with family members or caregivers who support you.

A strong network of family and internal medicine specialists and services can offer you the best possible care. Internal medicine doctors (internists) prevent, diagnose, and treat adult diseases. Doctors who specialize in family medicine provide primary health care to the entire family. Your primary care team can coordinate the many services you receive such as:

• Labs and blood work
• Mental health care
• Women's health care
• Radiology
• Social services
• Telehealth

We offer women’s health services to meet your specific needs such as disease screenings, mental health treatment, recovery from military sexual trauma, maternity care and female-specific medical equipment.

Our women's health program offers complete health care for women Veterans of all ages. Our primary care providers specialize in women’s health. They work closely with specialists in gynecology, obstetrics, female urology, oncology, medicine, radiology, surgery, and breast illness. Our services for women Veterans include:

• Ultrasounds, mammograms, Pap and HPV tests
• Mental health care and counseling
• Lifestyle wellness services
• Menopause treatment, including hormonal therapy
• Family planning, contraceptive care, and infertility evaluation

Learn more and connect with a care coordinator

We help Veterans on their recovery journey through outpatient and inpatient services. Our residential rehabilitation treatment facility is located at the Alvin C. York VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro. Our experts help Veterans deal with substance abuse, homelessness, mental health, and unemployment through its 24-hour therapeutic and educational programs like:

• Rehabilitation
• Health maintenance
• Community support

Call our team at  to learn more about our award-winning Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program. 

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

Our medical center and clinics provide consultation, evaluation, and treatment for a range of issues that may impact your mental health or emotional well-being. Our confidential outpatient services include individual and group therapy for:

• Psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression
• Marriage and relationship problems
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Anxiety, addictive behaviors, and personality disorders
• Aggressive or self-harming behaviors

Learn more and connect with a care coordinator

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

We work with behavioral health providers and community organizations to help you and your family during times of crisis. We offer:

• Suicide prevention care coordinators
• Suicide prevention case managers
• Veterans Crisis Line follow-up care
• Suicide prevention training from the TVHS Suicide Prevention Team
• Gun safety locks

If you are experiencing a crisis at this time, please call and press 1 for professional help or seek help at the Nashville VA emergency department and Alvin C. York VA urgent care clinic from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Learn more and connect with a care coordinator

We diagnose, evaluate, and treat your asthma, allergies, and non-HIV immune deficiencies. Our services include:

• Skin tests, blood tests, and other exams to identify food, drug, insect, pollen, animal, dust, and other allergies
• Prescribing and managing allergy medications that can ease your symptoms by reducing your immune system response to the things that cause your allergic reaction
• Performing asthma tests to measure lung function and see how much air moves in and out as you breathe
• Prescribing long-term and quick-relief asthma medications to reduce inflammation and open your swollen airways
• Specialized treatments for your immune deficiency disorders

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

Our Audiology services provide: 

• Hearing evaluations
• Selection, management, and repair of hearing aids and assistive listening devices
• Evaluation, programming, and management of cochlear implants and bone-anchored implants
• Evaluation and management of tinnitus
• Initial evaluation and referrals for balance/dizziness.

Our Speech Pathology services provided:

• Dysphagia evaluation (swallowing) including modified barium swallow studies
• Voice disorders
• Gender Affirming Voice Therapy
• Laryngectomy rehabilitation (including TEP voice prostheses)
• Motor speech disorders
• Augmentative and alternative communication devices
• Dysfluency
• Cognitive reorganization (dementia)
• Cognitive-communication disorders

The Chattanooga and Clarksville VA Clinic has limited audiology services, so please call us so we can ensure you get the best care. Please note that VA compensation and pension examinations are provided by the Compensation and Pension Service. 

Learn more about VA hearing aids

When basic low vision care provided in Optometry and Ophthalmology is no longer sufficient for functional independence or personal safety, Veterans may receive outpatient care from the TVHS Advanced Low Vision Clinic and the Visual Impairment Services Team (VIST) Coordinator. Services may include, but are not limited to:

• Low vision optometry examination and functional vision evaluation 
• Assessment and therapeutic instruction on how to maximize remaining vision to complete tasks, such as accessing printed material, financial management and food preparation/kitchen safety 
• Issuance and training on how to use assistive technology and devices to address functional deficits as a result of visual impairment 
• Assessment and instruction to increase awareness of the environment and safety

Click here for more Advanced Low Vision Clinic information

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

We are offering COVID-19 vaccines to all Veterans, their spouses and caregivers. At TVHS, we have the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. If you are wanting to get your first dose, let us know here.

For COVID-19 booster shots, here's what you need to know:

• If you received Moderna, you can get a booster shot at least 5 months after completing your COVID-19 vaccination series. If you're eligible, our team will call you to schedule an appointment.
• If you received Johnson & Johnson, you can get a booster shot at least 2 months after completing your COVID-19 vaccination. If you're eligible, our team will call you to schedule an appointment.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines at VA

COVID-19 Testing

We offer COVID-19 testing to enrolled Veterans at our Nashville and Murfreesboro campuses Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. If you would like a test, please visit the Murfreesboro urgent care clinic or the Nashville emergency department. A team member will assist you. You can also contact your provider to schedule a test.

Additionally, you can order 4 free at-⁠home COVID-⁠19 tests at COVIDtests.gov, or by calling 1- (TTY 1-). Order tests now so you have them when you need them. Learn more about COVID-19 testing at VA.

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

We perform noninvasive and minimally invasive tests and procedures that check, support, and improve your heart health. We’ll work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan and treat you with the most effective medications. 

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

Our cardiovascular surgeons diagnose and surgically treat medical conditions that affect your heart and blood vessels. Our procedures include:

• Coronary bypass surgery to redirect blood around a section of blocked artery in your heart
• Heart valve surgery to repair or replace a damaged valve in your heart
• Vascular surgery to repair veins, improve blood flow, and treat other diseases and disorders that affect your arteries, veins, and lymphatic system
• Coronary angioplasty and stent placement to open blocked or narrowed arteries that carry blood to your heart
• Pacemaker implant or cardiac ablation to correct abnormal heart rhythm

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

Chiropractic care restores, improves, and maintains your function, activity, and health. We work with your primary care doctor and other specialty care providers to provide a complete health care plan for you. We offer many treatments, like:

• Spinal manipulative therapy to relieve pressure on your joints, reduce inflammation, and improve nerve function
• Electrical stimulation therapy, which reduces pain by sending mild electrical pulses through your skin to help stimulate injured muscles or manipulate nerves
• Soft-tissue mobilization, which uses gentle pressure or massage to relax tense muscles, reduce scar tissue, or stretch connective tissue

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

Doctors in our intensive care units (ICUs) treat patients with serious illnesses or injuries, such as life-threatening infections, severe burns, brain injuries, and organ failure. Our critical care doctors (called intensivists) and nurses provide you with a full range of services.

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

If you’re eligible for VA dental care, we offer a full range of quality dental services like:

• Routine exams and teeth cleaning
• Restorative procedures, including fillings and crowns
• Comprehensive surgical care, including extractions (pulling teeth) and oral cancer screening
• Routine and advanced prosthodontic care, including bridges, dentures, and dental implants
• Routine and advanced periodontal care, including root canals, gum treatments, and supporting bone care
• Oral and facial reconstruction surgery to repair damage from traumatic injury or serious illness

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

We provide care for many medical and surgical skin conditions. Our dermatology services include:

• Medically necessary treatments for skin conditions like skin cancer and rashes
• Specialized treatments for acute (short-term) and chronic (long-lasting) skin conditions, like psoriasis, eczema, warts, and fungal illnesses
• Evaluation, biopsy, and treatment of cancerous or pre-cancerous skin conditions, like abnormal moles and lesions.
• Referrals for complex conditions

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

We diagnose and treat hormone imbalances and other endocrine system problems that can create or complicate serious medical conditions like diabetes, obesity, and thyroid or parathyroid disorders.

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

We diagnose and treat medical conditions in your esophagus, stomach, intestines, colon, and other parts of your digestive system. We can also test and treat other organs, like your liver, pancreas, and gallbladder.

Learn more about how to prepare for your upcoming GI procedure

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

We offer a range of hematology and oncology services. You can arrange appointments and consultation through your primary care provider. Our hematology and oncology services include:

• Chemotherapy
• Blood and platelet transfusions
• Mediport flushes to clean and maintain the small medical appliance inserted under your skin, making it easier to inject drugs and draw blood
• Evaluation and treatment of blood disorders and cancer
• Dedicated outpatient infusion center, working closely with radiation oncology, interventional radiology, general surgery, diagnostics, palliative care, and social services
• Bone marrow biopsies, to see whether your bone tissue is healthy and making a normal number of blood cells

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

Our laboratories provide a full range of clinical and diagnostic testing services. Our laboratory and pathology services include:

• Study of blood, urine, and other bodily fluids for illness management
• Testing for infectious diseases
• Cytopathology (study of unusual cells) and surgical pathology (study of tissue removed during surgery)
• Autopsy services

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

Our team of kidney doctors (nephrologists) actively manage all aspects of adult kidney disease, kidney and bladder stones, renal hypertension (high blood pressure caused by kidney disease), and mineral and bone disorders. We provide inpatient and outpatient services, like:

• Dialysis preparation and referral
• Home patient monitoring
• Kidney transplant evaluation
• Kidney disease education

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

We provide inpatient and outpatient services for chronic diseases and disorders that affect your brain, spine, and the nerves that connect them. Our neurologists read electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings, which measure the electrical impulses brain cells use to communicate with each other. We evaluate and treat many neurological illnesses and disorders such as:

• Neuropathy (nerve damage), myelopathy and other spinal cord injuries, and radiculopathy (pinched nerves)
• Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis
• Stroke, dementia, and degenerative diseases
• Other neurological conditions

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

Although many people think of neurosurgery as brain surgery, it’s much more. Our neurosurgeons diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions related to your nervous system, like:

• Brain, spinal cord, and spinal column injuries, illnesses, and disorders
• Brain and spinal tumors
• Neck pain and sciatica (nerve pain in your lower back hip, or leg)
• Herniated disks and degenerative illnesses of the spine

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

Our registered dietitians can help you maintain or improve your health with good nutrition tailored to your needs. Through group, individual, and telehealth sessions, we provide nutrition education and counseling in areas such as:

• Cardiovascular and heart health
• Chronic kidney disease
• Diabetes (including gestational diabetes)
• Eating disorders and digestive health
• Pregnancy and postpartum nutrition
• Weight management

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

We offer comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment for eye-related illnesses, injuries, and other issues.

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

Our optometrists provide many eye-related services and treatments like:

• Vision services and eye exams
• Treatment for diseases and injuries of the retina, cornea, and other parts of your eye
• Low-vision services for conditions like macular degeneration that can’t be corrected by glasses, surgery, or medication
• Special eye exams for diabetic patients

We use surgical and nonsurgical means to treat illnesses and disorders of the musculoskeletal system, which includes your bones, muscles, joints, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissue. We treat conditions like:

• Musculoskeletal trauma
• Degenerative illnesses
• Sports injuries

We evaluate, diagnose, and treat a wide range of ear, nose, and throat conditions, like:

• Nasal and sinus problems
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Throat, lymph node, thyroid, and parathyroid tumors and other conditions
• Voice and swallowing disorders

Our palliative and hospice care services support you and your family as you cope with a life-threatening or terminal illness. Palliative care works to provide comfort, reduce suffering, and improve the quality of life for patients being treated for serious illnesses. Hospice care focuses on helping patients with terminal illnesses to manage the final stages of their lives. Our palliative and hospice care services include:

• Pain and symptom management
• Emotional, spiritual, and psychosocial support for you and your family
• Help with practical issues that include an advance directive (living will), health care power of attorney, funeral arrangements, and applying for VA death and burial benefits
• Education to help you and your family make informed health care decisions and know what to expect as your health declines
• Bereavement care to help surviving family members during the grieving process

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

Our physical medicine and rehabilitation doctors and therapists focus on whole-body health. They can help you manage your pain, increase your independence, and improve your quality of life with services like:

• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Recreational therapy
• Kinesiotherapy
• EMG (nerve and muscle testing)
• Physicians can provide evaluation and non-surgical treatment of musculoskeletal (muscle, joint) conditions
• Amputation clinic
• Wheelchair clinic

Certain services are offered at select locations. At the Alvin C. York VA Medical Center, we provide physical therapy, occupational therapy, kinesiotherapy, recreational therapy, and EMG. The Nashville VA Medical Center offers physical therapy, occupational therapy, and EMG. At the Clarksville and Chattanooga VA clinics, we provide physical therapy. 

Plastic and reconstructive surgery can restore function and appearance after damage from disease, burns, traumatic injuries, congenital and developmental conditions and other causes.

Our plastic and reconstructive surgeons perform surgery to improve body function, or correct facial and body abnormalities caused by birth defects, injury, disease, or aging. We also perform cosmetic surgery to create a more normal appearance and improve self-esteem. Our services include:

• Surgical repair of congenital deformities such as cleft lips and palates
• Skin cancer surgery to remove malignant moles, lesions, and tumors from your skin
• Breast reduction and reconstruction surgery
• Skin grafts to treat burns, injuries, or illnesses, which involves removing skin from one part of your body and grafting it to another
• Nasal reconstruction surgery to change the shape of your nose

Our podiatry specialists evaluate and treat a wide range of injuries, diseases and disorders that affect your feet and ankles—from ingrown toenails to inflammation to diabetic foot ulcers.

After years of walking, running, marching, jumping, rappelling, and parachuting, many Veterans experience trouble with their feet and ankles. We can help treat those problems so you can continue to enjoy an active lifestyle. Our podiatry services include:

• Arthritis care for inflamed, swollen, or damaged joints
• Foot and ankle fracture treatment, repair of cartilage, torn tendons and ligaments
• Injections to reduce pain and swelling
• Joint arthroplasty (surgical repair or reconstruction) and replacement
• Minimally invasive surgery and post-surgical rehabilitation
• Foot health maintenance procedures (bunion removal, resurfacing, and nail trimming)

We provide and help you use medical aids, hearing aids, state-of-the-art adaptive home equipment and other equipment to help you preserve and increase your mobility and independence.

VA is the world’s largest and most comprehensive provider of sensory aides and prosthetic devices. Veterans enrolled in the VA health care system and referred by a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician can receive a full range of services and equipment like:

• Artificial limbs and surgical implants, including artificial joints and pacemakers
• Wheelchairs and other medical devices
• Aids for Veterans who are blind, have low vision, or are hearing impaired
• Adaptive equipment and modifications to make your vehicle or home more accessible
• Other devices and services to help increase your mobility, dignity, and independence
• Clothing allowance for Veterans with devices that damage their clothing

For additional information and to make an appointment, click here.

Our pulmonary medicine team treats diseases and conditions that affect the lungs and breathing, including asthma, tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute respiratory distress syndrome and sleep apnea.

If you find it difficult to breathe or sleep, our pulmonary (lung) specialists can help. We offer education, exercises, and treatments like:

• Oxygen therapy to help you stay active and breathe better
• Pulmonary rehabilitation to build your strength and increase lung capacity
• Healthy diets to help you manage your weight and improve energy
• Strategies to help you increase your feelings of control, optimism, and self-esteem
• Tests to measure your lung function, lung volume, and blood gas

The radiation oncology service works with your health care team to target cancer safely and precisely using radiation therapy.

Radiation oncologists specialize in using high-energy radiation to kill or damage cancer cells and either destroy tumors or control their growth. Our doctors sometimes use radiation therapy in combination with surgery, chemotherapy, or other cancer treatments. The radiation therapy you receive will depend on cancer type, tumor size and location, and your general health. Our services include:

• Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), which uses computers to deliver precise radiation doses that match the 3D shape of your tumor
• Intracranial stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), which uses targeted radiation to treat a brain tumor or lesion while minimizing radiation effects on healthy brain tissue
• Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), which uses precisely focused radiation to treat tumors in your lungs, spine, liver, lymph nodes, or other soft tissues
• Low-dose rate definitive and salvage brachytherapy, which use low doses of radiation to treat prostrate cancer
• Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), which uses detailed images to help focus radiation on affected areas, improve outcomes, and shorten treatment

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

We offer radiology and imaging services to diagnose and treat many medical conditions.

At the Nashville VA Medical Center, we provide x-rays, ultrasounds, mammography, CTs, PETs, MRIs, nuclear medicine and interventional radiology. The Alvin C. York VA Medical Center offers general radiology services, mammography, ultrasounds, MRIs, CTs and nuclear medicine services.  

The Clarksville VA Clinic offers general radiology services, and the Chattanooga VA Clinic offers x-rays, ultrasounds, and CTs. 

We provide long-term care to help you and your family when you’re dealing with a disability, chronic (long-lasting) illness, terminal illness, or serious health issues related to aging. Our long-term health care services include:

• 24/7 nursing and medical care
• Physical therapy
• Help with daily tasks like bathing, dressing, making meals, and taking medicine
• Pain management and palliative care to relieve suffering and improve quality of life for people with serious illnesses
• Hospice care to provide comfort and compassionate care for people in the last phases of an incurable illness
• To learn more about the different types of extended care that VA provides, see our guide to long-term services and support.

Learn more about VA long-term care

Our doctors treat inflammation, stiffness, or pain in your muscles, joints, and tendons. Common rheumatic illnesses include:

• Juvenile idiopathic and infectious arthritis
• Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
• Lupus, gout, and scleroderma

If you have a spinal cord injury or disorder, our specialists provide coordinated care throughout your life. We work to help you achieve your goals for independence, productivity and quality of life.

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

VA has the nation’s largest system of care for spinal cord injuries and disorders. We provide a convenient, connected network of experts to care for you during each phase of your life. Our experienced primary care providers are trained to check for problems unique to spinal cord injuries.

• Pressure ulcers
• Pneumonia
• Blood clots
• Bladder and sexual issues
• Constipation and other gastrointestinal problems
• Sexual issues

Learn more about the VA spinal cord injuries and disorders care system

If you are having surgery, we make sure that your procedure and follow-up care are safe and high-quality.

We provide a wide range of surgical services, like:

• General surgery
• Podiatry and orthopedic surgery
• Cardiac, thoracic, and vascular surgery
• Urology surgery
• Organ and tissue transplants

We perform chest surgery (also known as thoracic surgery) to treats conditions involving your chest, airway and esophagus.

Our thoracic surgeons provide state-of-the-art surgical techniques and cancer therapies that focus on your lungs and other organs of the chest. Many of our thoracic treatments also address problems with your esophagus, your trachea, and your chest wall. 

We are experts in life-saving transplants, including kidney, liver, heart, lung, small bowel, bone marrow and stem cell.

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

Our transplant surgeons work to save or extend lives by transplanting healthy, fully functioning organs from living or deceased donors to patients who need one. We offer:

• Liver transplants
• Kidney transplants
• Heart transplants
• Bone marrow and stem cell transplants
• Referrals to other transplant centers

We evaluate, diagnose, and treat a wide range of urology diseases and conditions that include kidney stones, erectile dysfunction, urinary incontinence, prostate cancer, and more. We provide you with medical care, surgery, and minimally invasive procedures for health issues that affect:

• Kidneys
• Bladder
• Ureter and urethra
• Male reproductive organs

Our expert team diagnoses and treats diseases and conditions that affect arteries, veins and blood circulation.

Our vascular surgeons treat illnesses of your arteries and veins. Our surgeons can treat these problems with medication and exercise. Vascular illness causes include:

• Arteriosclerosis and/or atherosclerosis (caused by the buildup of plaque in your arteries that restricts blood flow to your organs and tissues)
• Aortic aneurysm and aortic valve disease
• Deep vein thrombosis and blockage by a blood clot or fatty deposit
• Varicose veins
• Vasculitis (inflammation of your blood vessels)
• Varicose veins
• Trauma or injury

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

If you’re a caregiver for a Veteran, you can get support by contacting one of our caregiver support coordinators. If the Veteran you care for was injured post-9/11, you may be eligible for even more services, including a stipend to help with expenses, training, and medical coverage if you aren’t already covered.

Learn more and connect with a support coordinator

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

We help Veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless due to financial hardship, unemployment, addiction, depression, or transition from jail.

Learn more and connect with a care coordinator

We promote the health, welfare, and dignity of Veterans who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) or a related identity. We focus on ensuring a safe, welcoming, and affirmative environment when providing you with sensitive and high-quality health care services like:

• Hormone therapy
• Substance use and alcohol treatment
• Testing and treatment for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI)
• Mental health care
• Psychosocial assessments for gender-confirming surgeries and hormone therapy

Learn more and connect with a care coordinator

If you’re a minority Veteran, we can help you get the services and benefits you need. Our Minority Veterans Program serves all Veterans who are Black American, Asian American, Hispanic American, and Native American (including American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Island Americans). We work to:

• Help the medical center address minority Veterans’ needs
• Meet minority Veterans’ needs in the local community
• Identify barriers and create a more accessible environment for minority Veterans
• Inform minority Veterans of VA benefits, services, and programs

Learn more and connect with a care coordinator

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare

Our patient advocates work hard to make sure you receive the best possible care at our health care facilities. They can:

• Help you get answers or address concerns with your care team
• Advocate for patient and family rights
• Serve as advocates for minority Veterans, women Veterans, and Veterans with disabilities
• Offer specialized help to former prisoners of war and Veterans transitioning from Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and Operation New Dawn (OND)

Learn more and connect with a patient advocate

We offer a wide range of activities (arts and crafts, games, sports, exercise) that we can adapt to your needs.

Care we provide at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

Recreation therapy and creative art services falls under the TVHS Whole Health service. Recreation therapy is a direct-care service that aims to maintain or improve functional independence and quality of life through active therapy and meaningful therapeutic activities. Therapy outcomes are based upon Veteran’s treatment needs and goals in order to optimize independence in life activities. Goals are achieved through state of the art clinical care, education, technology, and research-based interventions within the scope of recreation therapy and music therapy.

Special services available include:

• Recreation therapy
• Adaptive sports
• Creative expression
• Vibroacoustic therapy
• CERV- equine therapy
• Music Therapy
  • Guitar 4 Vets
  • Operation Song
  • Sounds of Acoustic Recovery (SOAR)
  • Therapeutic Drumming

Benefits of services include, but are not limited to:

• Increase physical well-being
• Increase strength and endurance using a variety of treatment modalities
• Positive coping strategies for management of unwanted behaviors
• Decrease anxiety
• Increase knowledge of community resources
• Decrease social isolation
• Improve social functioning
• Development of new leisure skills
• Increase independence in leisure functioning
• Enhance creative expression
• Promote constructive use of leisure time

Community Partners:

We work with a variety of community partners to provide therapy options for our Nation's heroes! If you are a community organization that provides sporting and other recreation activities and are interested in working with our recreation therapy, call .

If you’re returning from military service, we can help you readjust to civilian life and get started with VA health care. We can also help connect you with programs like mental health services and education and career counseling.

We can help you readjust to civilian life if you’re returning from military service, on active duty, or an activated National Guard or Reserve member. Talk to one of our care coordinators about how to best use your health care benefits.

• Polytrauma care (if you have multiple traumatic injuries)
• Counseling and rehabilitation
• Mental and behavioral health services
• Family benefits counseling and assistance
• Referral assistance

Learn more and connect with a coordinator

Social work is integral to health care. We can help you and your family manage stress-related problems due to injury or illness, and find VA community resources to meet your needs like:

• Home health services
• Legal services
• Transportation
• Community living

My HealtheVet is a web-based tool you can use to manage your care and improve your health from your computer or mobile device. You can access your personal health records and use tools to manage your care through our My HealtheVet online system. You can also use My HealtheVet to refill your prescriptions, track appointments, and read informative health articles. If you need help using My HealtheVet, you can contact our coordinator by phone or in person. With My HealtheVet, you can:

• Ask questions and exchange secure online messages with your VA health care team
• Check your lab and test results
• Refill your prescriptions, track delivery, and view a list of your medications
• Keep track of your VA medical appointments and get email reminders
• View, download, or print a copy of your VA medical records
• Enter or update your personal information

Learn more and register for My HealtheVet

We use the latest in secure digital technology to set up remote visits with our health care providers. We offer video conferencing, home telehealth services, and store-and-forward telehealth that lets you securely send your health information to experts at VA facilities. We offer telehealth visits with providers in:

• Mental health
• Retinal care (eye)
• Bariatric surgery (visit remotely with your weight-loss surgery team before and after your operation)
• Dermatology
• Rehabilitation
• Primary care

Learn more about telehealth

We help Veterans with physical and mental health challenges find and keep jobs. We help you find jobs through our long-term partnerships with business, industry, and government agencies. We offer 3 services:

• Our transitional work program matches Veteran’s skills with a specific job and provides supervision to help them gain work experience
• Our supported employment program provides long-term support for Veterans with serious mental illnesses or physical disabilities to help them compete for jobs in their communities
• Our vocational assistance program trains Veterans living at our residential facility to improve their job-search and career development skills

Learn more about VA vocational rehabilitation

Our whole health approach empowers and equips you to take charge of your health, well-being, and quality of life. Whole Health goes beyond your illnesses, injuries, or disabilities, and focuses instead on your values, goals, and overall health. It includes self-care and complementary therapies along with conventional medical care. 

Whole Health also includes our complementary and integrative health (CIH) modalities that you see infused into primary care appointments.

• Whole health education
• Whole Health coaching

Learn more about VA whole health