VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System

11/17/2025

National Hospice and Palliative Care Month

Here in Eastern Colorado, there are both inpatient and outpatient palliative care services
available for Veterans with serious illness. Palliative Care focuses on relieving suffering and
controlling symptoms so that Veterans can carry out day-to-day activities and continue to do
what is most important to them. Palliative care aims to improve Veterans’ quality of life – in
mind, body and spirit. Palliative Care can be combined with treatment that is aimed at curing or
controlling one’s illness. It can be started at the time of diagnosis and may be provided
throughout the course of the illness.

Want to learn more? Here’s a video! https://youtu.be/coJkR3knML0

In November, the ECHCS Palliative Care & Hospice team will share information to create
awareness of the wonderful programs we have available for veterans and their family members!

11/15/2025

Last month, our clinical teams and community partners held a Diabetes Expo at a few of our VA ECHCS clinics. If you weren't able to attend one of the events, check out this video where you will hear from the resource tables at our Diabetes Expo on resources available in, and outside, VA.

In this video you will hear from the Resource Tables at our VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System Diabetes Expo in October of 2025.https://www.va.gov/easter...

11/15/2025

November 9–15, is National Nurse Practitioner Week, and we here at VA ECHCS wish to celebrate these health care professionals whose compassion, advanced training and commitment to personalized care help millions of Americans lead healthier lives, like Drew Herbert, a nurse practitioner at the PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom VA Clinic in Colorado Springs.

With a workforce of more than 461,000 licensed nurse practitioners across the U.S., these highly educated, advanced practice providers can be found in clinics, hospitals, emergency rooms, urgent care centers, nursing homes and private practices. As clinicians who blend clinical expertise with an added emphasis on health management, nurse practitioners bring a comprehensive perspective to health care and continually rise to meet our nation’s health care challenges.

This Nurse Practitioner Week, VA Eastern Colorado joins a grateful nation in recognizing nurse practitioners as trusted voices delivering proven care in their communities all across the country. Their ability to meet patients where they are —​ both geographically and across their health care journey — ​makes nurse practitioners essential to the future of health care.

11/14/2025

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.

11/14/2025

Feeling overwhelmed? You’re not alone. Stress can impact your sleep, heart, digestion, and more—but VA has your back. From Peer Support to Whole Health and Mental Health services, we offer tools to help you manage stress and feel better.

Talk to your VA Primary Care Team today.

Learn more: www.va.gov/wholehealth

There’s no one-size-fits-all for stress relief—and that’s why VA offers options.

Explore services like: • Art Therapy & Recreation
• Chaplain & Spiritual Support
• Tai Chi, Yoga & Guided Imagery
• Peer Support from fellow Veterans Ask your provider which stress management tools are right for you.



Did you know 60–80% of primary care visits are stress-related? But only 3% of veterans get help managing it Let’s change that. Contact your PACT team and ask about stress management services like counseling, mobile apps, and wellness programs. You deserve support.

11/13/2025

Join fellow veterans as you complete a Personal Health Inventory, create SMART goals, and experience self-care activities.

Be empowered to explore what matters most to you. Support one another as you learn ways to optimize your health & well-being on Dec. 11, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Koelbel Library in Centennial, Colorado.

To enroll, call (720) 229-5410 or (720) 793-3785. Open to any veteran currently enrolled in VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System *Light snacks will be available; lunch not provided.

11/12/2025

Chair Yoga will be offered the first and third Monday of every month at 10 a.m. at the Golden Clinic in November and December. Chair Yoga is a gentle form of Yoga which adaptable to all ability levels. All poses are completed in a seated position, which allows for those with limited mobility, or those who have difficulty getting on and off the floor to experience the mental and physical benefits of yoga. Contact Tiffani Guinn for more information or to schedule at 720-376-5587.

11/12/2025

November 9–15, is National Nurse Practitioner Week, and we here at VA ECHCS wish to celebrate these health care professionals whose compassion, advanced training and commitment to personalized care help millions of Americans lead healthier lives.

Sixty years after the first NP program launched in 1965, the profession has grown to include more than 431,000 licensed NPs nationwide. Each year, NPs conduct nearly 1 billion patient visits, providing high-quality health services in hospitals, clinics, private practices, urgent care centers and long-term care facilities.

Nurse practitioners are board-certified, clinically trained health professionals who hold graduate-level degrees and complete rigorous education and certification requirements. They are trusted to diagnose illnesses, prescribe medications, order and interpret diagnostic tests, and coordinate care alongside other members of the health care team.

We here at VA ECHCS want to wish all of our nurse practitioners a happy National Nurse Practitioner Week and thank them for all they do for our veterans and communities.

11/11/2025

VA Eastern Colorado invites mothers who are nursing to come take part in one of the weekly lactation support groups in Colorado Springs on the second floor of the PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom VA Clinic in Suite 2100, every Thursday at 11 a.m.

For more information, or to schedule a one-on-one meeting, contact Elizabeth Yahn at elizabeth.yahn@va.gov or by phone at 720-723-7331.

11/11/2025

This Veterans Day, we once again honor our nation’s heroes. The men and women who served and sacrificed for freedom impact every one of us through the peace, privilege, and opportunities we value as proud Americans.

Let this day inspire each of us to speak out in gratitude to the veterans in our lives – our siblings, parents, children, and friends. Their efforts bring the meaning of Veterans Day even closer to home.

To our veterans, we deeply appreciate your service and, as our patients, you inspire us to deliver the excellent health care you deserve. We thank you for your commitment to freedom and the lasting impact of the service you provided.

11/10/2025

All VA ECHCS outpatient clinics and administrative offices will be closed Tuesday, Nov. 11, in observance of Veterans Day. Outpatient services will resume normal business hours on Nov. 12.

Inpatient and emergency services will remain open during the holiday. In case of emergency please call 911, go to the nearest ER or visit the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center Emergency Department.

VA Health Connect is OPEN all federal holidays to provide scheduling, nurse triage, pharmacy services and acute virtual visits. Health Administration staff, Pharmacy Technicians, and Registered Nurses will be available and can engage Veterans for virtual care with medical providers within the Clinical Contact Center, if needed.

To get connected, call our main line at 303-399-8020, and follow the prompts, according to your needs.