Health services

Talk with an advice nurse if you have questions about your care or for help in deciding whether you need an urgent or routine appointment.

The registered nurses on our Nurse Advice Line provide you and your family with helpful medical advice and free, confidential answers to many of your health care questions. 888-598-7793 Call anytime. We’re here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition, our nurses can:

• Help you manage many of your basic health care needs
• Answer questions about your current medications or medical condition
• Discuss your health care concerns and help you decide the best way to handle them
• Offer improved access to VA services

In an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest VA or non-VA emergency room. We provide immediate treatment for serious, life-threatening health emergencies such as severe chest pain, seizures, heavy uncontrollable bleeding or moderate to severe burns.

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
• Psychiatric evaluations

As you age, we offer a range of medical and support services to help you stay as healthy, active and independent as possible. We also offer help to family members and caregivers who may support you.

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

Pharmacy and Automated Refills

Prescriptions may be refilled by phone or the Internet.

Automated Refill Line

An automated refill line is available for all patients of the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital. Please call one of the following numbers:

     608-280-7134

     or

    888-856-9039

1. After you have dialed the number, wait for the automated attendant to answer.
2. Enter your entire social security number, then press the # key. Wait for an answer.
3. Press 2, for "Pharmacy prescriptions" then wait for an answer.
4. Press 1, for "Request for a refill" then wait for an answer.
5. Enter the prescription number, then press the # key. Wait for an answer.
6. To refill additional prescriptions, press 1 and repeat the process.

If you are using this automated refill line, all refills should be ordered at least 10 (ten) days prior to when the refill is due to ensure there is enough time for the prescription to be mailed to you.

Internet Refill

Prescriptions may also be filled online using VA's My HealtheVet program. You will need a user id and password to log in. If you do not have one, you can easily get one by creating your personal profile.

Refills at the Outpatient Pharmacy

All veterans are encouraged to refill their prescriptions by phone or Internet. Because of our patient workload, prescriptions cannot be refilled at the main outpatient pharmacy window.

Drug Information

Please visit My HealtheVet for information about any prescription you may be taking.

How to Dispose of Unwanted Medication

The William S. Middleton VA Pharmacy does not accept unwanted, unusable, or expired medication for disposal.

A medication drop box is located in the main lobby of the Hospital for Veterans to dispose of unwanted or expired medications, including controlled substances.  NO aerosol cans, trash, medical supplies, nutritional supplements or hazardous/flammable substances should be placed in the receptacle.  Please see the full list of items on the receptacle sign.

There are other local, county, and state disposal options.  Click on the links below for more information.

• MedDrop - The Best Place to Get Rid of Medicines

• DisposeMyMeds is an online resource to help find local medication disposal programs in your community.

Empty medication containers are not accepted for disposal. Empty containers may be disposed of in household trash, with label information removed, or marked out.

Hours

Outpatient Pharmacy

Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Inpatient Pharmacy (inpatient hospitalized veterans only)

Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Pharmacy Administration Office

Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

All of the above services, except for the inpatient pharmacy, are closed on all federal holidays.

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.

About the Program

Offers an extensive range of treatments, medical evaluation, disease prevention, urgent care services, and management of acute and chronic conditions and referrals.

The Primary Care Service Line offers an extensive range of treatment modalities with emphasis on health care prevention. Our Primary Care physicians are internationally recognized for breakthrough research in a number of primary care areas.

Services Offered

VHA primary care gives eligible Veterans easy access to health care professionals familiar with their needs. It provides long-term patient-provider relationships, coordinates care across a spectrum of health services, educates, and offers disease prevention programs. Primary care now serves as the foundation of VHA health care and has become the first point of contact with the health care system for Veterans enrolled in VHA

Contact your primary care physician if you need any of these or other services —

• cancer screening
• high cholesterol treatment
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatment
• diabetes prevention and treatment
• flu vaccine and nasal mist
• high blood pressure prevention and treatment
• treatment for obesity
• osteoporosis treatment
• prostate disease prevention and treatment
• smoking cessation

• 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 Madison VA Hospital is committed to

• Providing high quality, compassionate and comprehensive health care to each woman Veteran.
• Ensuring women Veterans receive the respect, dignity, and privacy they deserve while meeting their unique health care needs.

We strongly encourage and hope you will utilize these benefits.

Madison VA programs include: 

• Women Veterans Health Clinic
• Perinatal Mental Health Clinic
• Pelvic Floor Disorder Rehabilitation
• Classes for:
  • Weight management
  • Tai Chi
  • Smoking Cessation
  • Mindfulness
  • Stress Reduction.
• Military Sexual Trauma
  • If you have experienced Military Sexual Trauma, please contact our Military Sexual Trauma Coordinator, for information and counseling at 608-256-1901 ext 11857.

Take Care of Yourself: We encourage you to talk to your provider about the following preventive measures: 

• Breast Cancer Screening (Mammograms)
• Cervical Cancer Screening (Pap & HPV Testing)
• Blood pressure checks
• Cholesterol checks
• Osteoporosis Screening (Bone Density Test)
• Colorectal Screening (Colonoscopy)
• Flu shots and other immunizations.

If you have any questions or would like to request additional information, the Women Veterans Program Manager is ready to assist you.

To enroll at the Madison VA Hospital and clinics, call us at 608-280-7038.

To schedule an appointment at the Madison VA Hospital, call us at 888-478-8321.

For Women Veterans, VA is Here

VA welcomes women Veterans. We are committed to providing high-quality services in a sensitive and safe environment at all VA facilities. Women Veteran Program Managers are available at each VA medical center to assist women Veterans with questions and coordinate services.  To talk with our Madison VA Women Veteran Program Manager, call us at 608-256-1901 x11687.

Learn more about Women Veterans Health Care

Women Veterans Call Center

The Women Veterans Call Center provides women Veterans information about VA services and resources, benefits, and eligibility. The toll-free line is available Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. ET and on Saturdays 8:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m. ET. Please see our Women Veterans Call Center website or call 855-VA-WOMEN 855-829-6636). Call, chat, or text are all available.

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 like:

• Rehabilitation
• Health maintenance
• Community support

• Addictive Disorders Treatment Program (ADTP)

Learn more about our VA treatment programs

If you qualify for VA health care, you can get high-quality mental health services as part of your benefits. You may also be able to get care for certain mental health problems even if you don't have VA health care.

About the Program

The mental health service at the Madison VA Hospital provides consultation, evaluation, and treatment for a variety of issues that can impact emotional well-being.

We conduct research and training to ensure state-of-the-art treatment.  Available at all sites by video.

Contact Information for Current and New Patients:

Current Patients: 

         Call 608-280-7084 during business hours

         Call 888-598-7793 after hours if you are sick and need to talk to a nurse

New Patients: 

 

        Call 608-284-6302 during business hours. 

        Call  888-598-7793 after hours and weekends if you are sick and need to talk to a nurse.

Services Offered

Mental health services provided at the Madison VA Hospital include treatments for —

• depression, sadness, grief
• anxiety, worry, nervousness
• addictive behaviors
• relationship problems
• stress from medical problems and/or pain
• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• emotional problems, such as managing anger
• vocational issues
• troublesome thoughts or ideas
• confused thinking
• aggressive or self-harming behaviors
• memory problems

We also provide outreach to homeless veterans.

Confidentiality

Mental health services are confidential. We will not talk to anyone about information you share unless you give written consent. Under federal law, a few exceptions to this rule exist. If you have questions, please ask your mental health consultant.

Military Sexual Trauma -   therapy is also available by video rather than face-to-face treatment. Treatment is tailored to individual needs and preferences.

Both women and men can experience MST during their service. 

All Veterans seen at the Veterans Health Administration are asked about experiences of sexual trauma because we know that any type of trauma can affect a person's physical and mental health, even many years later.

Call 888-598-7793 after business hours if you are sick and need to talk to a nurse.

Our services include:

• Counseling
• Psychiatric care
• Walk-in care

Learn more about military sexual trauma

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.

Therapy is also available by telehealth (video to your home device or to one of our Community-Based Outpatient Clinics).

For current patients:

Please call 606-280-7084 during business hours.

Please call 888-598-7793 after hours or on weekends if you are sick and need to talk to a nurse.

If you need help right away:

• Call 1-800-273-8255
  
  Press "1" if you are a Veteran.
• Chat online with a counselor
• Call 911 or visit a local emergency room

For new patients:

Call 608-280-7084 during business hours to be assessed and get connected to services.

Please call 888-598-7793 after hours or on weekends if you are sick and need to talk to a nurse.

If you need help right away:

• Call 1-800-273-8255
  
  Press "1" if you are a Veteran.
• Chat online with a counselor
• Call 911 or visit a local emergency room

Many veterans find themselves continuing to struggle with the aftermath of traumatic events (like combat experiences, sexual or physical assaults, and accidents). Some veterans may develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of a traumatic event. Our team is highly trained and understands the issues veterans face as a result of trauma. The PTSD Clinical Team (PCT) was created to provide veterans with the most effective available care to address symptoms of PTSD and to help veterans to experience improved functioning and wellbeing.

Specific treatment recommendations are tailored to the needs of each individual veteran. Treatment may consist of individual therapy, group therapy, or a combination of both.

Learn more about treatments, resources, and research available on PTSD.  We hope you will use the information as a way to begin this journey.

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
• Education and training on Veteran suicide prevention for the community
• Gun safety locks

Learn more and connect with a care coordinator

If you face or have had an amputation, our team will support you with thoughtful, compassionate care.

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
• 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

Learn more about the VA amputation system of care

We diagnose and treat conditions affecting your hearing, speech or balance. These include hearing loss, tinnitus (noise or ringing the ears) and dizziness—also speech, language, voice or swallowing disorders.

Our Audiology and Speech Pathology clinic provides diagnostic and rehabilitative services, VA compensation and pension examinations, and screening for employee hearing conservation. We offer a full range of audiology and speech pathology services like:

• Hearing and balance evaluations
• Selection, management, and repair of hearing aids and assistive listening device assessments
• Evaluation, programming, and management of cochlear implants and bone-anchored implants
• Evaluation and treatment for auditory processing disorder
• Services that help with speech, language, fluency, voice, cognitive communication, swallowing, stuttering, and laryngectomy (surgical removal of the larynx, which contains your vocal cords)

Learn more about VA hearing aids

We offer advanced vision care and blind rehabilitation services to help you live independently. These may include vision-enhancing devices and technology as well as visual skills and related training.

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

COVID-19 Vaccines at the Madison VA

The VA Madison healthcare system currently offers the Moderna vaccine and the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.  Veterans can call the Vaccine Scheduling Line at 608-280-2160 to make an appointment right away.  Spouses and Caregivers can register for the Vaccine at COVID-19 vaccines at VA | Veterans Affairs. Once you have registered, please call 608-280-2160 to schedule your appointment. We have appointments available at our main hospital and all of our Community Based Outpatient Clinics. 

SAVE LIVES ACT – Enhanced Eligibility for Vaccination

We will provide regular updates to the newly passed SAVE LIVES Act (SAVE LIVES Act allows VA to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to all Veterans, their spouses and caregivers), which expands eligibility for vaccination through the VA.  Newly eligible groups include: 

• All Veterans
• Veteran Spouses 
• Veteran Caregivers 
• CHAMPVA Beneficiaries

If you are included in one of these groups and are interested in receiving a vaccine from the VA, you can go to COVID-19 vaccines at VA | Veterans Affairs to register and indicate your interest in receiving a vaccine from VA. Signing up also will give you regular updates about VA’s vaccine rollout process. 

Learn more about the VA Madison healthcare system COVID-19 vaccines and testing.

If you’re diagnosed with cancer, our team will work with you, your primary care doctor, and other health care providers to develop a specialized treatment plan. We offer personal, compassionate, and expert care, with services like:

• Surgical removal of tumors and other cancerous tissue
• Immunotherapy, which helps your body’s natural defenses destroy cancer cells
• Chemotherapy, which uses powerful drugs to fight cancer
• Radiotherapy, which uses high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors
• Palliative care, to reduce pain and control other symptoms and side effects, like nausea

"'";'VA Madison health care

Our cardiology specialists offer advanced treatment and care for conditions affecting your heart and blood vessels, including heart disease, stroke, heart rhythm disorders and high blood pressure. 

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. Our services include:

• Evaluating you for coronary heart disease, heart-valve disease, and heart defects
• Determining how well blood flows through your heart vessels or find the cause of your heart failure
• Treating your heart vessels with nonsurgical or minimally invasive operations that open and support them through balloon angioplasty or stent placement
• Noninvasively monitoring you for changes in heart rhythm, using electrocardiograms (EKGs or ECGs), portable Holt monitors, or ultrasound
• Performing surgical treatments like pacemaker implants or cardiac catheterization (inserting a long, thin tube into an artery or vein)

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

Our gastrointestinal (GI) specialists offer screening and treatment for conditions affecting your GI tract, gallbladder, liver and pancreas—like reflux, Crohn’s disease, hepatitis and pancreatitis.

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. Our gastroenterology department provides services like:

• Colonoscopy, esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), which use an endoscope (a long, flexible tube with a small camera on the end) that lets us examine your digestive system
• Endoscopic ultrasound, which uses high-frequency sound waves to create images that help us diagnose and evaluate digestive and lung diseases
• Manometry study, which tests how well your esophagus is working
• Small bowel capsule endoscopy, which uses a tiny wireless camera that takes pictures as it moves through your digestive system
• 24-hour pH study, which measures how much stomach acid is flowing into your esophagus and helps us assess conditions like severe heartburn and acid reflux

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

We offer easy-to-follow weight management plans backed by the latest science. Our experts can help you reduce health risks, prevent or reverse some diseases and live a better—and even longer—life.

MOVE! is a free national VA program designed by the VA National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (NCP), a part of the Office of Patient Care Services, to help veterans lose weight, keep it off and improve their health. Designed with you in mind, MOVE! works with you to make practical changes for lasting results.  Learn more at about our MOVE! Program.

Our specialists evaluate and treat conditions and diseases of the brain, spine, and nervous system, including headache, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and other conditions.

Inpatient/Outpatient Consults for:

• Stroke
• Headache
• Dementia
• Parkinson's Disease/Other movement disorder
• Epilepsy/Seizure
• Cranial Nerve Abnormalities
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Peripheral Neuropathy
• Carpal Tunnel or Ulnar Neuropathy
• Myopathy
• Botox
• Other Neurological Disorders

Clinics Offered:

• Neurology
• Epilepsy
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Movement Disorder
• Neuromuscular
• Neurostroke

For more information about epilepsy and the VA Epilepsy Center of Excellence visit http://www.epilepsy.va.gov

Our nutrition experts work closely with you and your care team to help make sure you’re getting the nutrition you need to get and stay as healthy as possible.

Mission

Nutrition and Food Services are responsible for the preparation and distribution of food to inpatients, outpatients, and volunteers. Our goal is to plan, prepare, and serve nutritious and great tasting meals. Healthy and nourishing food is important in the recovery of the Veteran patient. Registered Dietitians and Dietetic Technicians provide medical nutrition therapy to Veterans, in both inpatient and outpatient clinics.

Outpatient Nutrition Services

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
• Eating disorders and digestive health
• Pregnancy and postpartum nutrition
• Weight management (MOVE! Program)

For more information:

Nutrition Clinic 

Diabetes Self-Management Education Program

Inpatient Nutrition Services

When a patient gets admitted to the hospital, part of their treatment may include a dietitian visiting to discuss food and nutrition. Each patient is screened for nutrition related needs when admitted. If a patient has a positive nutrition screen, a consult will be sent to the dietitian and that patient will be visited by a dietitian. There are several other reasons why a patient may be seen by a dietitian while in the hospital which include lack of appetite/intake; a nutrition related disease, such as diabetes, heart failure, hypertension; weight loss/weight gain; nutrition support (i.e. tube feeding) if you are unable to eat; or to discuss food/nutrition related topics.

Wound Care

Nutrition Support

Diet Office

Snacks and Supplements

Inpatient Meal Times

Community Living Center (CLC)

Our optometrists offer you routine eye exams, preventive vision testing and treatment for conditions like glaucoma. We also provide prescriptions for eyeglasses and other assistive devices.

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

Our orthopedists offer advanced care and treatment for issues related to muscles, bones and joints, including arthritis, disorders of the muscles and bones, tendon and ligament repair and joint replacement.

Diagnosis includes, but is not limited to:

• Tendonitis
• Bursitis
• Arthritis
• Sprains, strains and tears
• Post operative joint replacement

What are some symptoms?

• Painful range of motion
• Possible loss of range of motion and/or strength
• Decreased ability to perform daily tasks

What are some treatments?

Veterans receiving care in Outpatient Orthopedics will receive treatment that includes:

• Education in joint protection
• Education in home exercise program for strength and range of motion
• May include manual therapies
• Use of modalities (heat, ice, ultrasound, etc) in clinic and education for home use

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

If you’re living with a traumatic brain injury, amputation or other disability, our specialists offer support to help you improve your independence and quality of life, manage pain and stay healthy.

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:

• Personalized therapy for your rehabilitation
• Medication, stretching, and massage for short-term pain relief
• Strengthening exercises and movement therapy to increase fitness and prevent future pain
• Recreation therapy to create coping and social skills
• Occupational therapy to improve coordination and balance, and help you manage life skills and everyday activities
• Assessment and treatment of speech, language, and swallowing disorders

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

We provide a wide variety of services to Veterans of all ages for the treatment of acute and chronic pain, sprains, strains, weakness, deconditioning, post-surgical and post-fracture rehabilitation involving the arms, legs and spine. Our staff of licensed Physical Therapists perform comprehensive evaluations and design personalized treatment programs enabling patients to reach their goals for functional improvement.

Types of Services Provided

• Amputee Care
• Back Maintenance School
• Cardiac/Pulmonary Rehabilitation
• Diabetic Foot Care and Management
• Falls Prevention/Balance Retraining
• Lymphedema Management
• Outpatient Orthopedics
• Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Treatment
• Pre-operative and post-operative instruction for Orthopedic Conditions
• Pre-operative and post-operative heart and lung transplant rehabilitation
• Vestibular Rehabilitation

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)

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

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

• General X-ray - 608-280-7070, Option 6
• Ultrasound - 608-280-7070, Option 1
• Bone Density (DEXA) - 608-280-7070, Option 4
• Computer Tomography (CT/CAT Scan) - 608-280-7070, Option 2 or 608-280-7729
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI Scan) - 608-280-7070, Option 3 or 608-280-7232
• Interventional Radiology - 608-280-7070, Option 5 or 608-280-7126

If you have any questions at all about your exams, please do not hesitate to call us and our staff will be happy to assist you.

About the Program

We deliver a wide variety of clinical services including specialized rehabilitation services for survivors of brain injury, stroke, and amputation. The Extended Care and Rehabilitation Program at Madison VA Hospital is composed of three areas —

• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• Home and Community Care
• Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC)

Services Offered

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R)

PM&R services include —

• occupational therapy
• physical therapy
• speech therapy
• kinesiotherapy
• specialized services to veterans in need of rehabilitation following amputation, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury

Home and Community Care (HCC)

HCC consists of programs that manage care in veterans homes and community settings. Services include —

• home-based primary care
• home telehealth care
• adult day health care
• community nursing home care
• skilled and unskilled home care
• home hospice care
• home IV therapy

Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC)

The GRECC integrates models of clinical care, education and research to further the care of geriatric patients with dementia. The GRECC's memory loss clinic is a key component in the continuum of care of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Learn more about VA long-term care

If you are trying to quit smoking or want to stop using tobacco, we can help you with support, resources and programs.

You can quit tobacco. Services provided to support you include: 

• FDA-approved medications to manage nicotine withdrawal and the urge to use tobacco.
• Counseling by phone or video with the option for group sessions in person or over video
• Tobacco Cessation Quitline for individual counseling and strategies
• SmokefreeVET text message program for daily advice and interactive support
• Stay Quit Coach mobile app to help you quit smoking and stay smoke-free

Learn more about how to quit

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

The Department of Surgery at the William S. Middleton Veterans Hospital provides comprehensive surgical care to Veterans. Highly trained surgeons provide innovative surgical techniques supported by cutting edge research that together result in excellent national surgical outcomes.

• Adult Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

• Cardiac Surgery (heart)

• Colon and Rectal Surgery

• Dental Surgery (teeth)

• Esophageal and Gastric Surgery (throat and stomach)

• General Surgery (colon, rectal, liver, gall bladder, hernia, stomach)

• Gynecology (female reproductive systems)

• Hepato-Biliary (liver, gall bladder, pancreas)

• Neurosurgery (brain)

• Ophthalmology (eyes)

• Orthopedics (bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and nerves)

• Otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat)

• Podiatry (feet)

• Thoracic Surgery (lung)

• Transplant Surgery (heart, lung, liver)

• Urology (prostate, bladder, kidneys, male reproductive systems)

• Vascular Surgery (arteries, veins)

Our Surgical Service delivers quality care to our Veteran patients.  New and innovative techniques are part of the care provided.  Preoperative services (pre-surgery, during and post-surgery) a co-located, enhancing the continuity of care. 

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

Transplant Services: Solid organ transplantation

Injury, cancer, diabetes, heart failure and other diseases can damage organs. Organ transplant offers new hope for a full and healthy life for people with end-stage organ failure. Our expert VA team partners with some of the world’s most respected transplant professionals at the UW Health Transplant Center.

Services

We serve patients requiring a heart, liver, lung, combined organ transplant while honoring the gifts of life shared by organ donors. Our wait times are among the shortest in the nation and our outcomes are excellent.

Heart transplant: Our heart failure team also serves Veteran’s in need of mechanical circulatory support, including ventricular assist devices and total artificial heart transplantation. We also perform combined heart/lung, heart/liver and heart/kidney transplants.

Liver transplant: Our team performs liver, liver/heart, liver/lung and liver/kidney transplants.

Lung transplant: Our lung team uses the expertise of the UW Health ECMO team to serve patients who require additional support.  We also perform combined lung/heart, lung/liver and lung/kidney transplants.

Contacts and Locations

For information about referrals, dual listing or other transplant questions:
VA Transplant Office (all organs): 608-280-7072

• William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans' Hospital
• UW Health Transplant Center at University Hospital

Read more important information about transplant

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

VA’s specialized programs for homeless Veterans serve hundreds of thousands of homeless and at-risk Veterans each year. Independently and in collaboration with federal and community partners, VA programs provide Veterans with housing solutions, employment opportunities, health care, justice- and reentry-related services and more. Learn more about these programs below and at VA’s Programs for At-Risk Veterans and Their Families page.

Housing

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH)

This collaborative program between HUD and VA combines HUD housing vouchers with VA supportive services to help Veterans who are homeless and their families find and sustain permanent housing.

How It Works

Through public housing authorities, HUD provides rental assistance vouchers for privately owned housing to Veterans who are eligible for VA health care services and are experiencing homelessness. VA case managers may connect these Veterans with support services such as health care, mental health treatment and substance use counseling to help them in their recovery process and with their ability to maintain housing in the community. Among VA homeless continuum of care programs, HUD-VASH enrolls the largest number and largest percentage of Veterans who have experienced long-term or repeated homelessness. As of Sept. 30, 2015, HUD had allocated more than 78,000 vouchers to help house Veterans across the country.

More Information

• HUD-VASH General Information
• HUD-VASH Program Eligibility

Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF)

For very low-income Veterans, SSVF provides case management and supportive services to prevent the imminent loss of a Veteran’s home or identify a new, more suitable housing situation for the individual and his or her family; or to rapidly re-house Veterans and their families who are homeless and might remain homeless without this assistance.

How It Works

Through referrals and direct outreach, nonprofit agencies and community cooperatives use SSVF funding to quickly house Veterans and their families who are homeless and keep others from slipping into homelessness by providing time-limited supportive services that promote housing stability. Case management includes help securing VA and other benefits such as educational aid and financial planning.

More Information

• Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF)

Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program

State, local and tribal governments and nonprofits receive capital grants and per diem payments to develop and operate transitional housing and/or service centers for Veterans who are homeless.

How It Works

VA funds an estimated 600 agencies that provide over 14,500 beds for eligible Veterans. Grantees work closely with an assigned liaison from the local VAMC. The VA GPD liaison monitors the services the grantees offer to Veterans and provides direct assistance to them. Grantees also collaborate with community-based organizations to connect Veterans with employment, housing and additional social services to promote housing stability. The maximum stay in this housing is up to 24 months, with the goal of moving Veterans into permanent housing.

More Information

• Grant and Per Diem (GPD)

Employment

Homeless Veteran Community Employment Services (HVCES)

Under this program, each VA Medical Center (VAMC) has received funding to hire new vocational development specialists who are serving as Community Employment Coordinators (CECs) to boost employment outcomes for Veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

How It Works

CECs work out of each VAMC to forge partnerships and create relationships with local community organizations and employers who have the ability to hire Veterans. CECs work with and pre-screen Veterans who offer a variety of skills and come from all education levels, and are backed by VA’s entire network of services and providers. Employers can also proactively reach out to their local CEC by visiting the CEC contact information page.

More Information

• Homeless Veteran Community Employment Services (HVCES)
• HVCES Fact Sheet 2016
• HVCES Contacts

Health Care

Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV)

This program offers outreach, case management and residential treatment services to help Veterans transition from living on the street or in institutions to stable housing situations.

How It Works

Operating out of many VAMCs nationwide, clinically trained providers locate Veterans who are living in precarious situations and connect them with VA bridge housing, health care and case management services that promote safe, stable living arrangements.

More Information

• Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV)
• HCHV Rule Change Helps VA Serve More Veterans

Homeless Veterans Dental Program

This other important resource provides Veterans who are homeless with dental treatment through programs such as Domiciliary Residential Rehabilitation Treatment, VA Grant and Per Diem, Compensated Work Therapy/Transitional Residence, Health Care for Homeless Veterans (contract bed) and Community Residential Care. VA is working to expand dental care to all eligible Veterans.

More Information

• Homeless Veterans Dental Program

Justice- and Reentry-Related Services

Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) and Health Care for Reentry Veterans (HCRV) Programs

VJO aims to prevent homelessness by helping justice-involved Veterans who have mental health or substance use issues access needed VA clinical services. HCRV specialists work with Veterans to ease their transition from prison back into the community.

How the Programs Work

VJO specialists provide direct outreach, assessment and case management for Veterans in local courts and jails and help them navigate the justice system. Every VAMC has at least one VJO specialist. HCRV specialists meet with incarcerated Veterans before they’re released and assist them in planning for reintegration into the community by accessing VA and community services as well as housing and employment opportunities.

More Information

• Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO)
• Health Care for Reentry Veterans (HCRV)

We promote the health, welfare, and dignity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) 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-affirming surgeries and hormone therapy

Learn more and connect with a care coordinator

Statement of Inclusion and Support

It is the policy of the Wm. S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, its clinics, and Community Living Center not to engage in discrimination against any person employed, seeking employment, or seeking patient care.

You will be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect as an individual. Consistent with Federal law, VA policy, and accreditation standards of the Joint Commission, you will not be subject to discrimination for any reason, including for reasons of age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

Available Auxiliary Aids and Services are offered free of charge for Patients and Companions requiring assistance.   Please share your needs with your provider so we can identify and provide support options.

We offer resources and support for minority Veterans to help address your specific needs with benefits and services at VA.

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 were exposed to toxic chemicals or other hazards during your military service, we offer you a free exam. This exam helps you identify potential health risks and helps us monitor issues so we can better serve you.

This free, voluntary, and comprehensive health exam involves an exposure and medical history, laboratory tests, and a physical exam. We will discuss your results in a face-to-face meeting and follow up with a letter. The registry evaluation, which does not verify exposure, is separate from VA’s disability compensation process. You may be eligible to participate in one or more of these health registries if you served during these time periods:

• Ionizing radiation (1940s to 1960s)
• Agent Orange (1960s and 1970s)
• Airborne hazards and open burn pit (1990s to present)
• Gulf War (1990s to present)
• Depleted uranium (DU) (1990s to present)
• Toxic embedded fragments/shrapnel (2000s to present)

Learn more about VA Health Registry

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 Workers assist Veterans and their families with

• home health services
• legal services
• transportation
• community living

Social work offers counseling —

• to veterans with drug, alcohol, and emotional problems
• to help veterans and their families understand and adjust to an illness or disability
• to veterans and family members who want to prepare advance directives and durable powers of attorney for health care or finances
• to help veterans and their families cope with terminal illness
• to family members about legal issues such as commitment and guardianship

Counseling is conducted through —

• one-on-one discussions
• family conferences
• group classes

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

Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and to live their life to the fullest.

Whole Health focuses on what matters most to each of us. It empowers people through mindful awareness and self-care, recognizing the fundamental importance of healthy nutrition, activity, sleep, relationships, surroundings, and the many other areas of our lives that contribute to our health and wholeness.

Whole Health supports person-centered, proactive, whole-person care. The Whole Health System includes conventional treatment, Complementary & Integrative Health approaches, and focuses on self-empowerment, self-healing, and self-care.

Learn more about Whole Health.