About the Program
The Primary Care Service offers an extensive range of treatment modalities with emphasis on health care prevention. Our primary care physicians are dedicated to serving veterans in the Tampa Bay area.
Primary Care allows you to identify one physician and team responsible for serving all of your healthcare needs. Our goal is this coordinated effort will help you remain healthy and have a better quality of life.
A Primary Care provider can be a physician, nurse practitioner or a physician's assistant. A Primary Care team is a group of healthcare professionals responsible for coordinating your care. In addition to a physician, other members of the team may include nurses, pharmacists, dietitians and social workers, depending on your needs. You will be assigned a Primary Care provider and a Primary Care team.
Primary Care providers are located at all of our Community Based Outpatient Clinics.
Appointments and Waiting Time
Our goal is to see you at your scheduled appointment time. That may not always be possible, but we try not to keep you waiting for more than 30 minutes. Please:
- Be on time. Check in at your appointment site 30 minutes prior to your actual appointment time.
- Notify us if you have to cancel your appointment by calling (813) 903-6500 or toll-free at (866) 737-6842.
- Come earlier if you already know you need to have laboratory work or other medical tests done, or if you have paperwork to fill out.
- Follow any fasting or special instructions given to you prior to your laboratory test or special procedure.
Things to Bring With You
- Any medical records, reports, labs, test results, etc. from another facility or from a non-VA provider.
- All bottles of medicines you take, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, food supplements and/or herbal remedies.
- Advance Directive if not on file, or if it has been changed.
- A list of questions you may have for your provider.
- A list of medical problems to share with your provider.
- Your blood pressure or blood sugar readings, if you have them. Also bring the blood sugar and/or blood pressure machine you are using.
- Any health insurance information you have.
Services Offered
At your regular appointment please discuss with your primary care physician if you need any of these or other services —
- cancer screening
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease treatment
- diabetes prevention and treatment
- flu vaccine or nasal mist
- high blood pressure prevention and treatment
- high cholesterol treatment
- osteoporosis treatment
- prostate disease prevention and treatment
- smoking cessation
- treatment for obesity and weight management
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