Washington VA Medical Center

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. To speak to a nurse on our Nurse Advice Line, call 202-745-8247.  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

To make a primary care appointment with your VA health care provider, dial 202-745-8577.

The anesthesia service works to keep you comfortable, safe and pain-free during surgical or screening procedures.

Our specially trained doctors, called anesthesiologists and certified nurses, called Nurse Anesthetists, can help with your care before, during, and after surgery. They will develop a plan for your care and safety, provide medicine to keep you comfortable during your operation, and help you manage your pain after surgery. Our services include:

• General anesthesia (intravenous drugs, inhaled gasses, or some combination) to keep you pain-free and in a sleep-like state during surgery or other medical procedures
• Regional anesthesia (injecting numbing drugs around nerves) to control pain in specific parts of your body during or after surgery
• Monitoring your breathing and vital body functions while you’re under anesthesia
• Working with the rest of your care team to manage your pain medications after your operation
• Coordinating care with your other health care professionals to facilitate a smooth transition from hospital to home

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)

To reach the Audiology and Speech clinic, call 202-745-8000, ext. 58270.

Learn more about VA hearing aids

• COVID-19 vaccines for eligible Veterans and staff

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines at VA

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

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

The emergency department is located in the Washington DC VA Medical Center main building. To contact the emergency room, call: 202-745-8360.

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

Prepping for a Colonoscopy

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

To speak with the Geriatrics Service, call 202-745-8000, ext. 58422 or ext. 52399. 

We also offer short and long-term geriatric care at our on-campus Community Living Center. The CLC is a place where Veterans can receive nursing home level of care, which includes help with activities of daily living and skilled nursing and medical care. To speak with someone from the CLC, call the Freedom Way East front desk at 202-745-8000, ext. 57711 or Freedom Way West front desk at 202-745-8000, ext. 57775.

Learn more about VA long-term care

Our specialists offer reproductive health care services for women Veterans, including contraception, pregnancy care and fertility treatment.

Our gynecologists focus on the female reproductive system and provide services that include:

• Mammograms for breast cancer, screenings for sexually transmitted disease, and Pap tests for cervical cancer
• Counseling and treatment for contraception, pregnancy, and infertility
• Osteoporosis screening for brittle bones
• Exams for abnormal uterine bleeding, pelvic pain, or various cancers
• Primary care checkups

To schedule an appointment with gynecology, call 202-745-8000, ext. 57937.

If you have a diagnosis of anemia, lymphoma, leukemia or another blood cancer or disorder, we support you with expert care and treatment.

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

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

Our team of hospital physicians (hospitalists) oversees your care during your hospital stay.

Special doctors called “hospitalists” oversee your care when you are admitted to the hospital for an illness or injury, or after you have surgery. Our hospitalists provide a range of services, like:

• Clear and timely communication with you and your family
• Care coordination with your other doctors
• Patient advocacy and assistance
• Triage and bed flow coordination to improve patient care
• Inpatient medical consultations

Learn more about Hospitalists

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-confirming surgeries and hormone therapy

Learn more and connect with a care coordinator

We offer blood tests and other advanced testing services to help you and your VA health care team monitor your health, find and understand any health problems and make informed treatment decisions.

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

If you’re struggling with issues like PTSD, depression, grief, anger or trauma, we offer counseling and other support. All VA health care facilities offer same-day help. You may qualify even without enrolling in VA health care.

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

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 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.

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

Palliative care focuses on comfort, quality of life and reducing suffering. Hospice care is a type of palliative care offered to patients with life-threatening illness under certain conditions.

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

VA wants to make sure that you get the best possible care. If you need help finding care or getting problems resolved, please contact a patient advocate.

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

Our specialists provide a full range of services to help you get and understand your prescription medicines and supplies. You can refill VA prescriptions online, by phone or by mail.

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

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

If you’re struggling with a mental health problem—or just need to talk with someone—we can help. We offer treatment and support such as therapy, alternative treatments and medications when needed.

Our psychology teams offer consultation, evaluation, and treatment to help with a range of mental and behavioral health problems like:

• Depression (including sadness and grief), anxiety (including worry and nervousness), and personality disorders
• Addictive behaviors and substance abuse
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and combat-related stress disorder
• Emotional issues like anger management and relationship challenges
• Confused thinking, memory problems, and invasive thoughts or ideas
• Aggressive or self-harming behaviors

We provide medical care and rehabilitation services to Veterans in our Community Living Center and in their homes. Services include home-based primary care, medical foster home support, and hospice and palliative care.  

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

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

Call our Veterans Crisis Line at 988 and press 1 for free, private help anytime 24/7. Our local suicide prevention coordinators can also connect you with ongoing counseling and services.

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 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
• Anesthesia
• Cardiac surgery (heart and major blood vessels)
• Neurosurgery (brain, spinal column, and nerves)
• Orthopedic surgery (bones, muscles, ligaments, joints, and tendons)
• Organ and tissue transplants

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

Transplant Center

If you have been diagnosed with liver disease, choosing an experienced, multidisciplinary team of liver specialists with access to the latest diagnostic tools and medical and surgical treatment options is the first step towards managing your condition and living a healthier life.

The Washington DC VA Medical Center is one of seven VA hospitals in the country to offer liver transplant. The VA is partnering with the MedStar Health team at MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute to offer excellent care to Veterans.

Contact the DC VA Medical Center Transplant Center team for more information or to receive a brochure.

Physicians

Dr. Jessica P. E. Davis

Dr. Atoosa Rabiee

Liver transplant coordinators

Carole Daley, RN, 202-745-8000, ext. 57413

Crystal Fitzhugh, RN, 202-745-8000, ext. 56709

Phone numbers

Medical Advice Line: 202-745-CARE

Appointment scheduling: 202-745-CARE (2273), ext. 55026

Billing: 202-725-8000, opt. 6, then press 1

Questions?

Learn more about the Liver And Kidney Transplant Program.

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