Health services

During a medical emergency, if you believe your life or health is in danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department right away!

A medical emergency is an injury, illness, or symptom so severe that a delay in seeking immediate medical attention would be reasonably expected to be hazardous to life or health. At the Dole VA, we provide emergency medical care 24 hours a day, every day. Our emergency room staff can help you with:

• Life-threatening illnesses and injuries that require immediate attention
• Urgent medical issues that must be treated right away

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

• Functional status assessment
• Cognitive impairment assessment
• Medication review
• Medicine and nursing
• Psychology, psychiatry, and social work
• Physical and occupational therapy
• Caregiver education and support
• Home-based care

To access care, ask your primary care provider for a referral.

Please bring all medication bottles and pillboxes, a photo ID (such as your Veteran’s ID card or a driver’s license) and your health insurance information with you to your first Geriatrics appointment. We encourage you to bring a family member or caregiver, if applicable. If you are transferring from a health care provider outside the VA, it is helpful if you bring your medical records with you.
 

Home Based Primary Care

Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) is health care services provided to Veterans in their home. The program is for Veterans who need team based in-home support for ongoing diseases and illnesses that affect their health and daily activities.

Veterans utilizing this service usually have difficulty making and keeping clinic visits because of the severity of their illness and are often homebound, but that is not required.

This program is also for Veterans who are isolated, or their caregiver is experiencing burden. Home Based Primary Care can be used in combination with other Home and Community Based Services.

Gynecology focuses on the female reproductive system, including the cervix, fallopian tubes, ovaries, uterus, vagina, and vulva. Menstrual problems, contraception, sexuality, menopause, and infertility issues are diagnosed and treated by a Gynecologist.

Our pharmacy provides you and other Veterans with convenient, efficient service to make it easy to get your medications and medical supplies. You can:

• Pick up new prescriptions in person
• Refill prescriptions online and by phone or mail
• Safely dispose of medicines

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.

The Women Veterans Program provides the best comprehensive health care for females that is both safe and effective. Our educational services are available to Women Veterans, and our maternity coordinator assists women connect with resources covering all stages of the pregnancy experience.

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 Women Veterans Program Manager

We help Veterans on their recovery journey through outpatient and inpatient services. Our residential facility helps Veterans deal with substance abuse, homelessness, mental health and unemployment through its 24-hour therapeutic and educational programs. Dole VA substance use disorder programs include:

• Rehabilitation
• Health maintenance
• Residential treatment
• Domiciliary program for homeless veterans
• Transitional housing with job counseling and outpatient treatment
• Outpatient groups, individual, couples or family counseling
• Outpatient methadone and suboxone treatment 
• Community support

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

The Dole VA offers timely access to care for military sexual trauma.  Military sexual trauma refers to sexual assault, sexual harassment, or other threatening, offensive, or unwanted sexual advances, activities, or remarks that you experienced in the military. Our goal is to help you improve your quality of life with strategies to manage emotions and memories related to your military sexual trauma. Our services include:

• Mental health care, including outpatient, inpatient and residential treatment
• Treatment for PTSD, depression, substance use disorders and anxiety disorders
• Physical healthcare, for all conditions caused or worsened by MST
• Free, confidential consultation regarding healthcare concerns, treatment needs and referrals
• Assistance with questions related to eligibility for services and billing for care related to MST

For questions related to care for Military Sexual Trauma, you can contact the Dole VA MST Coordinator, who can meet with you over the phone, via VA Video Connect, or in person at the main campus in Wichita.

Chenoa Simmons-Daniels, LSCSW, LCAC, CST
Office: 
Work cell: 

If you have symptoms of PTSD after a traumatic event, we can help. We offer assessment and treatment support such as private counseling, group therapy and medication. It’s never too late to get help.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault. It’s normal to have upsetting memories, feel on edge or have trouble sleeping after this type of event. If symptoms last more than a few months, however, it may be PTSD. We can help you with effective treatments and support services, such as: 

• Assessment
• Individual therapy
• Group therapy
• Medication management

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
• Gun safety locks

Learn more and connect with a care coordinator

If you’ve had a major limb removed, our specialists can create a health care plan to help you to live independently. Our support services include:

• Physical, occupational and recreational therapy
• Nutrition, wellness and mental health counseling
• Prosthetic support to help you choose your artificial limb and use it effectively
• Orthotic support and services
• Limb loss education and training to help you with daily living, like coping techniques, mobility tips, driving skills and scar care
• Medical and surgical consultations with other specialties
• Adaptive sports and recreational therapy programs

Our Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Clinic provides diagnostic and rehabilitative services. Services include, but are not limited to:

• Hearing, tinnitus, and dizziness evaluations
• Selection, management, and repair of hearing aids and related devices
• Evaluation, programming, and management of bone-anchored implants
• Services that help with speech, language, fluency, voice, cognitive communication, stuttering, and laryngectomy (surgical removal of the larynx or vocal cords)
• Dysphagia evaluation, including modified barium swallow studies, and treatment
• Care of special populations (CVA, ALS, MS, Parkinson’s Disease), Head and Neck Cancer, Vent/Trach, mTBI, and TBI

Our low vision outpatient clinic can assess your needs and provide a rehab plan tailored to your personal goals. Our team of specialists and social workers will work with you to find the right aids and services. Our clinic services include:

• Comprehensive eye exams
• Visual skills assessments
• Guidance on how to develop visual motor and perceptual skills
• Training to help you manage daily activities with your vision loss

We offer only the Moderna Bivalent for both initial vaccines and boosters.

The initial COVID-19 vaccination series and boosters are available on a walk-in basis Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., in Primary Care Building 29. Appointments are unnecessary.

Veterans may also request a vaccination or booster from their primary care provider during regular-scheduled appointments.

Please remember to bring your vaccine card to all of these encounters.

Visit VA's COVID-19 vaccine website for more information: https://www.va.gov/health-care/covid-19-vaccine/.

You can learn more about eligibility for VA health care and how to apply at https://www.va.gov/health-care/ or call 1-877-222-VETS.

Dole VA Oncologists/Hematologists have special training in diagnosing and treating blood disorders and cancer in adults using chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, biological therapy and targeted therapy.

Dole VA Cardiologists offer advanced treatment and care for conditions affecting your heart and blood vessels, including heart disease, stroke, heart rhythm disorders and high blood pressure.

Doctors in our intensive care unit (ICU) treat patients with serious illnesses or injuries, such as life-threatening infections, complex surgical procedures with extended recovery, and organ failure. Our critical care doctors (called intensivists) and nurses provide you with a full range of services, including:

• Monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing with cardiac and oxygen telemetry
• Help your lungs work using a mechanical ventilator
• Provide nutrition through a feeding tube in your vein, nose or mouth
• Drain urine from your bladder using a catheter
• Give fluids and medicine through your vein using an IV pump
• Help prevent blood clots in your legs by using inflatable compression wraps and boots

We offer many medical and support services to help you manage your diabetes, such as:

• Self-management, education, and support classes
• Insulin therapy and blood-glucose meter training
• Diabetes survival skills that include sick-day management, lifestyle changes, nutrition advice and cooking classes

The Endocrinology Clinic treats: thyroid disease, adrenal and pituitary gland disorders, osteoporosis and calcium metabolism, menstrual cycle disorder and menopause, low testosterone, transgender care, and metabolic disorders such as obesity.

Gastroenterology clinic treats patients for Crohn’s disease, chronic constipation and diarrhea, anemia from GI bleeds, chronically elevated liver enzymes, and chronic abdominal pain.

Hepatology is a branch of medicine concerned with the study, prevention, diagnosis and management of diseases that affect the liver, gallbladder, biliary tree, and pancreas. Hepatologists frequently treat viral Hepatitis and alcohol-related liver disease.

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

MOVE! is a weight-management program designed to help you live a longer, healthier life. With the help of your MOVE! care team, you can eat a healthier diet, get more exercise, reduce your health risks, and improve your quality of life. The MOVE! program offers:

• Weight-loss support groups to help you lose weight and keep it off
• Healthy eating tips and cooking classes
• Behavioral change strategies to help you live a healthier lifestyle

Learn more about MOVE!

The Dole VA Nephrology Clinic treats patients for acute kidney disease, polycystic kidney disease, chronic kidney disease stage 3 or higher, electrolyte imbalances, proteinuria, uncontrolled hypertension, kidney transplants, and kidney stones.

The Dole VA Neurology service focuses on diseases of the nervous system, such as the peripheral nerves, brain, spine, and muscles. Neurologists provide diagnostic testing, comprehensive assessments, and treatment plans to ensure optimum prognoses.

The goal of the Dole VA Nutrition and Food Service is to provide excellent comprehensive and innovative nutrition and food service programs for our Veterans and stakeholders that are evidence-based and support the full continuum of health care through interdisciplinary collaboration both within and outside the Veterans Health Administration.

• Food Production
  Customers deserve the best quality foods and excellent service. Our dedicated culinary staff of Cooks and a Sous Chef strive for a customized meal plan daily for each customer to meet the nutritional needs as well as the psycho-social needs to help heal the body and the spirit. We offer therapeutic and modified consistency meal plans in accordance with the diet order. In addition to high quality food, the focus is also on the plating appearance to have a positive experience for our Veteran.
• Food Service
  Our dedicated foodservice workers are an impressive workforce delivering excellence to Veterans on every plate of the 117,763 meals served annually. Foodservice workers are essential to patient care and work on our front lines to ensure safety, sanitation, quality, and customer service. Many NFS workers are Veterans themselves and take pride in serving their fellow Vets.
• Nutrition / Clinical Dietitians
  The Clinical Dietitians provide evidence-based nutrition care through Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) across the VA health care delivery system.  They provide wellness, health promotion and disease management through the promotion of healthy food choices and behavior changes to meet the veterans’ personal goals.
• Educational and Partnership Affiliations
  We are pleased to have an affiliation agreement with Kansas State University to assist in the training of dietetic intern students annually so they can fulfill their ASCEND requirements to become a future Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. Furthermore, VHA focuses on building coalitions and partnerships in the community. We have been fostering a partnership with Butler Community College and look forward to establishing an affiliation agreement with their Hospitality and Culinary Arts students. This will allow students to explore health care food service and VHA career opportunities.

The Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center Eye clinic in Wichita provides comprehensive optometric, ophthalmologic, and low vision rehabilitation  care. Our goal is to increase Veteran quality of life by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

We Diagnose and Manage Ocular Disease such as:

• Diabetes is a chronic disease marked by high levels of blood glucose. Diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes, can cause vision impairment and even blindness.
• Cataracts are an opacity of the lens usually related to age or excessive UV exposure, trauma, inflammation, or metabolic disorders. Cataracts can be surgically removed to improve vision.
• Macular Degeneration is an acquired retinal disorder and is the leading cause of blindness for persons over 65 in the United States.
• Glaucoma is a series of ocular diseases that can cause progressive optic nerve damage and lead to loss of functional vision. 
• Retinal Disease caused by diabetes or macular degeneration or hereditary disorders can cause dysfunction and loss of functional vision.
• Red Eye and Infections can be caused by viruses, bacteria, trauma, inflammatory or even allergic
• Eyelid Abnormalities such as excess skin of the upper or lower lids can affect functional vision. Loss of laxity of eyelid tissue can result in exposure to the ocular surface and, in advanced cases, can cause scarring and ulceration of the front surface.

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

Dole VA Orthopedic Surgeons are concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system, such as musculoskeletal trauma, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors, and congenital disorders.

Acute (short-term) or chronic (long-lasting) pain can make it hard to enjoy life, but effective pain management can help. Our experts work with you, your primary care physician, and other specialists to create a plan to help you manage your pain and improve your quality of life. Our services include:

• Comprehensive evaluation of your pain complaint
• Prescribing and supervising your use of medications with expertise from our pharmacist
• Non-invasive treatments such as electrostimulation therapy and battlefield acupuncture 
• Treatments such as trigger point injections, occipital nerve blocks, epidural steroid injections, facet joint injections and radiofrequency ablations, sacroiliac joint injections, and spinal neurostimulation
• The clinic also offers physical therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic pain

Physical therapy, occupational therapy and kinesiotherapy can help restore movement and function if you have been disabled by injury or disease.

If you’re living with or recovering from an injury, illness or chronic condition that limits your mobility and independence, we can help. Our physical, occupational and movement therapists and assistants combine therapeutic exercise, counseling, education, and training to help you improve your health and quality of life. Our services include:

• Pain relief and joint mobilization
• Chronic pain management
• Pelvic floor therapy
• Dry needling
• Movement and exercise therapies to improve your strength, endurance, balance, and coordination
• Mobility assessment and training with wheelchairs, scooters, and walking devices
• Life skills training and activities to help you maintain the highest level of independence and functionality
• Evaluation and treatment for a wide range of medical, orthopedic, psychosocial, and neurological conditions

Occupational therapy is a health and rehabilitation program that assists people to live life to its fullest by building skills for a better life.

Physical therapy helps people improve their movement and physical function, manage pain and other chronic conditions, and recover from and prevent injury and chronic disease.

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

Plastic surgery at the Dole VA offers a spectrum of surgical management, including skin cancer treatment, hand surgery, wound care, breast surgery, facial surgery and eyelid surgery. We work closely with our surgical colleagues to perform complex soft tissue reconstruction. Our outpatient clinic offers injection treatment for migraines as well as procedural services.

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.

The Dole VA Medical Center Podiatry clinic in Wichita strives to make sure Veterans receive the best medical treatment from the moment they enter the door. From bunions, calluses, or ingrown toenails, to broken toes, heel pain and sports-related injuries, Dole VA treats each problem with a thorough appointment until the Veteran is comfortable the issue has been addressed.

• Foot and Ankle Surgery
  The surgeons at our office provide complete medical and surgical care of the foot and ankle by being up to date with the most advanced treatments and technology to ensure optimal results.
• X-Rays
  Our doctor may need to take x-rays of your foot to help determine the cause of your foot pain or ankle pain. Our x-rays are weight bearing, which are essential when it comes to seeing the anatomy of the foot and ankle.
• Orthotics / Shoe Inserts
  When your feet hurt, even the simplest task can be agonizing. People often look for quick and inexpensive relief, particularly to over-the-counter insoles or arch supports. But what these commercial products lack is a proper medical evaluation. Wearing the wrong type of shoe insert can be detrimental to feet, especially for people with diabetes or arthritis. You should also be wary of products with lofty claims or promises of comfort based solely on size.
• Sports Injuries and Trauma
  Foot and ankle care before, during, and after a workout or sports activity is very important to prevent sports injuries in the foot. If not looked after properly, your feet can suffer a variety of ailments, such as blisters, corns and calluses, ankle sprains, heel pain, plantar fasciitis, fractures, tendonitis, and joint pain, to name a few.
• Ingrown Toenails
  In milder cases, you can treat an ingrown toenail by soaking your toe in warm water and placing a tiny piece of cotton underneath the edge of the nail. However, if an ingrown toenail leads to infection, a podiatrist may have to drain the area or perform minor surgery to cut away the section of your nail that is pressing into your skin.
• Diabetic Foot Care
  While conditions such as bunions, corns and calluses, fungal infections, and ingrown toenails may not seem serious, diabetes and vascular disease can complicate even these minor issues. We treat a wide range of conditions, including neuropathy, foot infections, ulcerations, and ingrown and fungal toenails.

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. Eligible Veterans enrolled in the Dole VA Health System and referred by a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician can receive the full range of services and equipment, including:

• 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

If interested in our service, please talk to your Primary Care provider at your next appointment and get a referral.

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.

Dole VA Pulmonologists treat ailments of the lungs and respiratory system, such as asthma, pneumonia, tuberculosis, complicated chest infections, sleep disorders, and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases including emphysema.

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

• X-ray
• Ultrasound
• Computed tomography (CT)
• Low-dose lung cancer screening (CT)
• Positron emission tomography (PET)
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Nuclear medicine
• Bone density testing
• Fluoroscopy
• Interventional radiology

The Dole VA is equipped with some of the most advanced imaging technology available, and offers advanced interventional radiology services with many highly specialized procedures.

The radiology team consists of both technologists and radiologists. Each technologist is trained specifically for the test performed. The radiologists are medical doctors who interpret the resulting images. After they review your images and medical history, the radiologists send a report of the findings to your doctor who ordered the test. Usually, you will not meet with a radiologist during your appointment. He or she will speak with your doctor about any significant findings or to learn more about you.

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

The Dole VA Rheumatology Clinic cares for patients with inflammatory arthritis, connective tissue disease, and autoimmune diseases such as Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis. We also assist in the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia and Osteoarthritis.

The sleep medicine service diagnoses and treats your sleep problems, including trouble sleeping, breathing difficulties while sleeping, snoring, teeth grinding and jaw clenching.

At various points in our lives, all of us suffer from a lack of sleep. But, if you are spending enough time in bed and still wake up tired or feel very sleepy during the day, you may have a sleep disorder. We can help. Our sleep specialists can:

• Diagnose and treat sleep apnea and other sleep disorders
• Monitor your blood oxygen levels and heart rate
• Study your brain waves during sleep
• Evaluate possible causes for your excessive sleepiness
• Conduct sleep tests performed at home or in the lab
• Work with your doctors if you need surgery or dental appliances to help you get a good night’s sleep

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

Dole VA General Surgeons have a central core of knowledge embracing anatomy, physiology, metabolism, immunology, nutrition, pathology, wound healing, shock and resuscitation, intensive care, and neoplasia, which are common to all surgical specialties.

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

The Dole VA Thoracic Clinic evaluates patients for: Thoracic Aneurysms, Post Pleural Effusions, Mediastinoscopy, Post Pneumothorax, and Stereotactic Body Radiation therapy. These providers practice in the Wichita area and contract with the Dole VA.

Every Veteran enrolled in VA health care will receive an initial screening and a follow-up screening at least once every 5 years. Veterans who are not enrolled and who meet eligibility requirements will have an opportunity to enroll and receive the screening.

The screening will ask you if you think you were exposed to any of these hazards while serving:

• Open burn pits and other airborne hazards
• Gulf War-related exposures
• Agent Orange
• Radiation
• Camp Lejeune contaminated water exposure
• Other exposures

We’ll then give you information about any benefits, registry exams, and clinical resources you may need.

Ask about the screening at your next VA health care appointment.

The Dole VA Urology Surgery Clinic treats patients for prostate and bladder cancer, kidney stones, swelling, infection and pain of the genitourinary system, vasectomy and all types of urinary dysfunctions.

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

The Dole VA Vascular Clinic evaluates patients for the following: Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms, Vertebral Dissections, Carotid Stenosis, Peripheral Arterial Disease, and Subclavian Steal Syndrome among other Vascular/Arterial issues.

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. For all caregivers, we can:

• Help you get caregiver assistance available through VA
• Provide progressive needs planning to help you manage degenerative conditions
• Match you with services and benefits
• Connect you with local resources and programs
• Listen to you when you struggle

Learn more and connect with a support coordinator

We help Veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless due to financial hardship, unemployment, addiction, depression, or transition from jail. Contact one of our care coordinators to get help with:

• Immediate food and shelter needs, including both transitional and permanent housing
• Job training, life skills development, and education
• Justice system navigation and community reentry from jail
• Financial support to prevent homelessness
• Addiction and depression treatment
• Health and dental care

Learn more and connect with a care coordinator

We promote the health, welfare, and dignity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ+) Veterans and their families. 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

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

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 and community-based resources to meet your needs, such as:

• Advance Directives Counseling
• Financial Resources
• Housing Options
• Caregiver Support
• Case Management
• Therapy Services
• Referral to community agencies and VA programs
• Long-term Care Referral
• And much more

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

NEW! Tele Emergency Care services are now available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by dialing 888-878-6881 and pressing option 3. Tele Emergency Care offers immediate access to medical assistance, with a team of experienced nurses and emergency medicine providers quickly assessing your needs and recommending the most appropriate care for your condition.

Tele Emergency Care supports all non-life-threatening medical needs, including primary, urgent, and emergency care. Veterans can receive timely guidance and assistance from trained emergency medicine professionals regardless of the situation. 

Tele Emergency Care is a convenient alternative to traditional healthcare settings. It allows Veterans to receive prompt medical attention from the comfort of their own homes. This helps reduce unnecessary visits to overcrowded urgent cares or emergency rooms and minimizes wait times. It is designed to accommodate busy lifestyles, offering on-demand assistance for medical concerns, and ensuring patients can access quality health care whenever needed. 

If an in-person visit is necessary, we can recommend the most appropriate level of care for your unique needs.

Tele Emergency Care supports but does not replace in-person care. Call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency department if you believe your condition is life-threatening.

What are Vocational Services?

Dole VA Vocational Services can help you throughout the employment process, from identifying your skills and abilities to finding and keeping a job. Ultimately, we assist Veterans in achieving their employment goals. Services we provide include:

• Job skill development
• Real world placements to assess skills, abilities, and interests
• Job search training
• Pre-Employment Preparation
• One-on-One employment counseling
• Strategies to find and keep a job
• Improving / developing interpersonal interactions

Compensated Work Therapy (CWT)

The Compensated Work Therapy program is driven to provide Veterans the ability to enhance their vocational, social, independent living skills, all of which are based upon the Veteran's individual choice. 

Compensated Work Therapy is a clinical & therapeutic vocational rehabilitation program that consists of two separate program components: Transitional Work and Supported Employment.

Transitional Work (TW) is considered an internship-type program with a paid stipend. Veterans in the program are provided contracted work opportunities with an average timespan of six months. Participants also receive counseling to achieve independence, maximum self-sufficiency, and marketable skill development that lead to community-based employment.

Supported Employment (SE) assists Veterans diagnosed with psychosis, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, etc., to find and keep jobs. The program will evaluate the Veteran's ability to manage the demands of working, develop realistic employment outcomes, and provide on-going job training, assistance, coaching, and advocacy.

Contact Information

Peter Daniels
CWT Program Coordinator

Aaron Plume
TW Employment Specialist

Whitney Hall
SE Employment Specialist

Accreditation

Our Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) program is accredited through CARF International, an independent accrediting body of health and human service. CARF accreditation confirms we are committed to continuous quality improvement, performance accountability through evidenced based outcomes, and ongoing monitoring of participants satisfaction.

The Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center Whole Health cutting-edge approach invites Veterans to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. Our commitment is to empower, equip, and treat our nation’s heroes according to their personal preferences and priorities.

Personalized, Proactive, Patient-Driven Care 
Whole Health empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and live their life to the fullest. The Dole VA has shifted from a health care system focused primarily on treating disease to one rooted in forming continuous healing relationships and partnerships that support Veterans in achieving their greatest overall well-being.

Dole VA Whole Health Programs

• YOGA 
  The practice of yoga has been shown to have positive effects on Veterans in the priority areas of depression and lower back pain.
• RELAXATION TRAINING 
  Relaxation techniques can decrease muscle tension, lower the blood pressure and slow heart and breath rates, among other benefits.
• BIOFEEDBACK 
  Biofeedback may be used to improve health, performance, and the physiological changes that often occur in conjunction with changes to thoughts, emotions, and behavior.
• SLEEP STUDIES 
  Body activity is monitored during sleep to identify disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome.
• PAIN MANAGEMENT 
  Our focus has shifted from opioid-based pain management to evidence-informed, safe, and effective non-pharmaceutical approaches.
• TAI CHI
  This gentle Chinese art has favorable effects on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, and osteoarthritis.
• MOVE WEIGHT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
  Our weight management program, also known as MOVE, encourages healthy eating and increased physical activity.
• HEALTHY EATING KITCHEN
  These classes improve health by teaching Veterans and their families healthy food choices and food preparation.

View the Whole Health Course Catalog