VA ECHCS would like to congratulate Dr. Gregory Schwartz, Chief Cardiologist, for being selected by the Denver-based magazine publication, 5280 Magazine, which recently released its list of the top doctors in the Denver area.

To our veterans, All Patient Advocate offices in VA ECHCS will be closed this Friday, Sept. 25, for training. The walk-in offices at Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center in Aurora, PFC. Floyd K. Lindstrom VA Clinic in Colorado Springs, and the PFC James Dunn VA Clinic in Pueblo will reopen Monday, Sept. 28, for normal hours. Questions may be directed to the service area by asking for a service level advocate (not the same as a patient advocate) or supervisor. For more information, or to call our Patient Advocate office and leave a voicemail, visit our VA ECHCS website, ow.ly/GGfm50ZQIi8.

VA ECHCS would like to congratulate Dr. Lindsay Nicholson, Infectious Diseases Attending Physician, for being selected by the Denver-based magazine publication, 5280 Magazine, which recently released its list of the top doctors in the Denver area.

VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS) started offering free flu vaccine clinics for veterans on Sept. 14. Vaccines will be available by walk-in or appointment through the end of flu season, which typically extends into the spring. Veterans have multiple options to get their flu shot this year: 1.VA ECHCS primary care and specialty clinics will offer flu vaccines during scheduled appointments and by walk-in during normal clinic hours. 2.No-cost flu vaccines are available to enrolled veterans at pharmacies and urgent care locations across eastern Colorado. To find a close-to-home and in-network community care provider, veterans can enter in their zip code in the drop-down menu of the VA locator at va.gov/find-locations. For those who choose to go outside of VA care for their flu shot, veterans can let their VA team know so they can update their records. They will need to send their provider a Secure Message using the VA Health and Benefits app or My HealtheVet, or call the VA call center, at 303-399-8020, to relay a message to their care team, with: •Their full name,  •The last four digits of their Social Security number,  •The name of the vaccine,  •The date they received it,  •Where they received it.  If veterans have questions, they can contact their VA care team.

To our veterans living in Colorado Springs and the surrounding area, The monthly VA Legal Clinic that is scheduled to happen tomorrow, Sept. 22, from 12-2 p.m., is cancelled for this month due to the ongoing restoration efforts and limited space availability from flooding that occurred at the PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom VA Clinic in August. For all other legal needs, veterans can visit VA’s Community Resource & Referral Center, located at the York Street VA Clinic, at 3836 York St., in Denver, on the second Tuesday of each month, from 12:30-2:30 p.m., or VA’s Veterans Justice Outreach Program website, ow.ly/501Q50ZPTa5, for assistance. We apologize for this inconvenience.

VA ECHCS would like to congratulate Dr. Silpa Krefft, Pulmonary & Critical Care Physician, for being selected by the Denver-based magazine publication, 5280 Magazine, which recently released its list of the top doctors in the Denver area.

VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS) started offering free flu vaccine clinics for veterans on Monday, Sept. 14. Vaccines will be available by walk-in or appointment through the end of flu season, which typically extends into the spring. Veterans have multiple options to get their flu shot this year: 1.VA ECHCS primary care and specialty clinics will offer flu vaccines during scheduled appointments and by walk-in during normal clinic hours. 2.No-cost flu vaccines are available to enrolled veterans at pharmacies and urgent care locations across eastern Colorado. To find a close-to-home and in-network community care provider, veterans can enter in their zip code in the drop-down menu of the VA locator at va.gov/find-locations. For those who choose to go outside of VA care for their flu shot, veterans can let their VA team know so they can update their records. They will need to send their provider a Secure Message using the VA Health and Benefits app or My HealtheVet, or call the VA call center, at 303-399-8020, to relay a message to their care team, with: •Their full name,  •The last four digits of their Social Security number,  •The name of the vaccine,  •The date they received it,  •Where they received it.  If veterans have questions, they can contact their VA care team.

VA ECHCS would like to congratulate Dr. Isaac Harley, Rheumatology Attending Physician, for being selected by the Denver-based magazine publication, 5280 Magazine, which recently released its list of the top doctors in the Denver area.

VA Eastern Colorado is recruiting veterans who are experiencing, PTSD-related nightmares to participate in a research study to help us understand if improving sleep quality, by reducing the impact of nightmares, can improve cardiovascular health. To be eligible for the study, veterans must experience repetitive nightmares related to PTSD and be between the ages of 22 and 88 years old. If interested, use your phone to scan the QR code in the image provided and complete the optional preliminary eligibility survey. For any questions, contact Claire Cox at Claire.Cox@va.gov.

Veterans, before some VA appointments, you may receive a text or email from VA with a secure link to complete a health questionnaire, via the BHL-Screener. It’s quick and confidential, and your answers go directly into your VA health record. The BHL-Screener, formally e-screening, streamlines the collection and processing of Clinical Reminder questionnaires by automating Veteran outreach, response capture, CPRS Progress Note generation, and when applicable, completion of the Clinical Reminder. It reduces staff workload, minimizes variability in how questions are asked, and enables Veterans to complete important screenings before their appointments, thereby giving their primary care physician a more complete picture of the Veteran’s medical issues. BHL Touch, a VA-approved web-based tool supporting measurement-based mental health care, now offers a new mode for Veterans to complete assessments anytime using their own device, in addition to traditional iPad entry in the office. This allows Veterans to receive and answer questions in advance of appointments, increasing the time they have with their primary care physician and reducing the time Veterans spend filling out paperwork when they arrive for their appointment. This new feature allows providers to text or email a secure link to a Veteran for convenient completion from anywhere. When the requested assessments are completed, the provider is immediately notified via email, and they can then review the results, track the patient’s progress over time, and seamlessly upload them to the electronic health record. The benefits of this technology include: •expanded implementation of MBC •more accurate and efficient documentation of care •increased overall patient and provider satisfaction See an example message from VA to know what to look for: telehealth.va.gov/health-que…

VA ECHCS would like to congratulate Dr. Michael Erlanger, Attending Surgeon, for being selected by the Denver-based magazine publication, 5280 Magazine, which recently released its list of the top doctors in the Denver area.

VA ECHCS would like to congratulate Dr. Margaret Fitzpatrick, Infectious Diseases Physician, for being selected by the Denver-based magazine publication, 5280 Magazine, which recently released its list of the top doctors in the Denver area.

Wednesday, September 16, at 5 p.m., we will be hosting a patient Tele-Town Hall event for Eastern Colorado Health Care System patients. The event dial-in line for patients is: 855-274-9533. During this event, we will have experts on the line to assist with answering questions. For more information, please visit va.gov/eastern-colorado-heal…

On this Patriot Day, we pause to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, a day that forever changed our nation. We remember the lives lost in New York, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and we hold close the families, friends, colleagues, and communities who continue to carry the impact of that day. We honor the extraordinary courage of first responders, service members, civilians, and countless others who stepped forward in the face of unimaginable tragedy. In the years that followed, a new generation answered the call to serve, many of whom now place their trust in VA for care, support, and understanding. This anniversary reminds us of the strength found in unity, resilience, and shared purpose. Across VA, our mission remains clear: to provide compassionate, timely, high-quality care that honors Veterans through every interaction, every day. Feel empowered to take a moment today to reflect, connect, and support someone who may feel the weight of this anniversary more heavily. A simple act of kindness, listening, or appreciation can make a meaningful difference. Today, we honor the lives of those we lost and recognize those who responded and renew our commitment to those who served in the years that followed.

To our veterans living in Pueblo and the surrounding areas: The water issue at the PFC James Dunn VA Clinic in Pueblo has been resolved. The clinic will be open for normal operations today, Friday, Sept. 11.

VA Eastern Colorado is hosting Warrior Fest today at the John Venezia Park in Colorado Springs, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Warrior Fest is a resource fair designed to celebrate and assist veterans with getting connected to VA and community services and resources. Come on out and get connected! We can't wait to see you ther!

To our Veterans in Pueblo and the surrounding areas: The PFC James Dunn VA Clinic is closed due to a water outage affecting the facility, as of 2 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 10. Scheduling staff will contact Veterans with scheduled appointments to reschedule or, when clinically appropriate, convert in-person appointments to virtual or telephone visits. At this time, we do not know when water service will be restored. We will provide updates as they become available. In the meantime, VA Health Connect remains available for scheduling, nurse triage, pharmacy services and urgent virtual visits. Health administration staff, pharmacy technicians and registered nurses can help connect Veterans with VA Health Connect providers for virtual care, if needed. To connect, call the main line at 303-399-8020 and follow the prompts based on your needs. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Getting ready for a VA appointment? VA may send you a health questionnaire, via BHL-Screener, to help determine your eligibility for certain national health initiatives and to ensure that you get the right services. The BHL-Screener, formally e-screening, streamlines the collection and processing of Clinical Reminder questionnaires by automating Veteran outreach, response capture, CPRS Progress Note generation, and when applicable, completion of the Clinical Reminder. It reduces staff workload, minimizes variability in how questions are asked, and enables Veterans to complete important screenings before their appointments, thereby giving their primary care physician a more complete picture of the Veteran’s medical issues. BHL Touch, a VA-approved web-based tool supporting measurement-based mental health care, now offers a new mode for Veterans to complete assessments anytime using their own device, in addition to traditional iPad entry in the office. This allows Veterans to receive and answer questions in advance of appointments, increasing the time they have with their primary care physician and reducing the time Veterans spend filling out paperwork when they arrive for their appointment. This new feature allows providers to text or email a secure link to a Veteran for convenient completion from anywhere. When the requested assessments are completed, the provider is immediately notified via email, and they can then review the results, track the patient’s progress over time, and seamlessly upload them to the electronic health record. The benefits of this technology include: •expanded implementation of MBC •more accurate and efficient documentation of care increased overall patient and provider satisfaction See an example message from VA to know what to look for: telehealth.va.gov/health-que…

Wednesday, September 16, at 5 p.m., we will be hosting a patient Tele-Town Hall event for Eastern Colorado Health Care System patients. The event dial-in line for patients is: 855-274-9533. During this event, we will have experts on the line to assist with answering questions. For more information, please visit va.gov/eastern-colorado-heal…

To our veterans living in the Golden area, the Golden VA Clinic General Radiology will operate on a modified schedule on the following dates: Sept. 9-11; 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.