Veteran medical center making scheduling appointments easier

IRON MOUNTAIN — The Oscar G Johnson Veterans Medical Center in Iron Mountain has a plan to make scheduling appointments much easier.

Starting September first, veterans enrolled in VA healthcare will be able to directly schedule audiology and optometry services. This will allow veterans to schedule routine visits in these departments without a referral from their primary care provider. Direct scheduling for routine appointments will make medical visits much easier for the veterans along with medical staff.

“The veteran doesn’t need to see their primary care provider to get the referral so that does free up some of the primary care time to see veterans who don’t need things like simple referrals. It also gives veterans direct access to these specialty services,” said Access Coordinator, Oscar G Johnson Veteran Medical Center Nicole Kleist.

In the past, veterans had to see their primary care physician in order to get a referral for a audiology or optometry appointment, creating an un-needed extra appointment. This direct scheduling method that will be coming to the VA medical center in Iron Mountain will also be spreading across the nation to all other VA centers as well. After making some changes at the medical center in Iron Mountain, staff members now feel prepared to assist any veteran with direct scheduling.