Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center

Primary Care

About the Program

The Primary Care Service Line offers an extensive range of treatment modalities with emphasis on health care prevention.

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

Audiology

Evaluation and treatment of Veterans with hearing loss and tinnitus is provided. Services include diagnostic auditory assessment, provision of hearing aids, assistive alerting devices and auditory rehabilitation.

The National Hearing Aid Program (VANHAP) is a comprehensive hearing aid and related services program designed to ensure that high quality hearing aids and clinical services provided to Veterans with hearing loss. Each year, VA evaluates hearing aid technology with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and establishes national contracts for products of high technical quality that meet Veterans' needs. These hearing aid devices are individually fitted to compensate for each Veteran's hearing loss by audiologists in VA Audiology clinics which meet criteria as hearing aid dispensing programs.

VANHAP is the only program of its kind in the country, receiving wide acclaim from clinical, academic, governmental, and consumer groups for the quality of service to Veterans. VANHAP is directed by the Audiology and Speech Pathology Service, in coordination with Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service (PSAS), with operational support from the Office ofAcquisition and Material Management's Denver Distribution Center.

Speech Therapy

Speech Therapists assist with speech, communication and swallowing problems and provide treatment through the use of specialized techniques and equipment.