The document outlines a new standard operating procedure for the intake process of new patients at a VA healthcare system in Long Beach, California. The procedure aims to improve efficiency by assigning new veterans to a primary care team and scheduling an initial appointment. Key steps include the intake nurse reviewing patient information, discussing primary care options, completing intake questionnaires, screening for health issues, and scheduling the first appointment using an appointment management system. If the intake nurse is unavailable, medical support staff and nurses will assist by collecting patient information and handling the intake duties.

1. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, Long Beach, California
Health Care Group: Primary Care
Service Line: PACT
Standard Operating Procedure Number: 153-01
Date:
Primary Care Healthcare Group
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (SOP)
New Patient Intake Process
1. MAJOR POLICY CHANGES: None, this is a new SOP for the purpose on outlining the procedural
steps on the newly implemented New Patient Intake Nursing process that takes place in the Patient
Business Office.
2. PURPOSE:
a. To establish an (SOP) for improving the patient intake process and assigning new Veterans
to a Primary Care Patient Aligned Care Team (PC PACT) along with a scheduled new patient
vesting appointment.
3. POLICY: (refer to reference list)
4. DEFINITIONS:
a. Intake: This is the process of taking in patients.
b. Vesting: This is when a minimum level of healthcare services have been provided indicating
that the patient has received the equivalent of primary care services at least once during a
rolling three year time frame.
c. RN: This is an acronym for Registered Licensed Nurse.
d. LVN: This is an acronym for Licensed Vocational Nurse.
e. CPRS: This is an acronym for Computerized Patient Record System.
f. VISTA: This is an acronym for VHA Appointment Scheduling System.
g. PCMM: This is an acronym for Primary Care Management Module which provides
information on enrollment capacity for each PACT Team. The PCMM is updated on a weekly
basis by the PCMM coordinator.
h. PACT: This is an acronym for Patient Aligned Care Team.
i. MSA: This is an acronym for Medical Support Assistant.
5. PROCEDURE:
Intake Nurse at the Patient Business Office
a. Upon completion of new patient enrollment, the patient enrollment specialist will escort the
patient to the assigned Intake Nurse located in the Patient Business Office.
b. If Intake Nurse is present:
1. Before being escorted to the Intake Nurse, the nurse is provided with the patient’s vital
information.
2. The Intake Nurse accesses and reviews the patient’s demographics in CPRS and
discusses which Primary Care Pact team location will be the most convenient for the
Veteran.
3. The Intake Nurse will hand out a questionnaire to the patient to review and will document
the patient’s medical history into the PACT New Patient template located in CPRS.
4. After completing the intake in the questionnaire with the patient, the nurse will then
explain the possible resources that the patient may need and complete all required
nursing clinical reminders. These can include: Advance Directive Screens, Tobacco User
Screens, flu vaccine and homelessness screening.
5. The Intake Nurse will then provide the patient a Veteran Handbook and advises the
patient what to bring to their first scheduled Pact appointment (i.e. list of current
prescribed medications, copies of non-VA medical records).
6. The Intake will then access the PCMM enrollment capacity guide and schedule the
patient their first PACT appointment based on their desired date using the VISTA
appointment management system.

2. 7. After scheduling the appointment, the Intake Nurse will ask the patient if they have any
further questions or can be of any further assistance.
c. The following materials are to be provided to the patient during the intake process:
1. VA Long Beach Healthcare System Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) Veterans Patient
Handbook- handbook containing information on Primary Care at the VA of Long Beach.
Also contains information about VA services provided after business hours.
2. Intake/Initial Comprehensive Medical Appointment Handout along with the VA Long
Beach Locator Map (on the back) - Checklist of what the patient has to bring to their first
PACT appointment with the VA.
3. Veterans Health Education Classes and Groups Handout- Contains contact information
for health classes and workshops provided by the VA.
4. VA Advance Directive Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care and Living Will
Handout- To be filled out by the patient in order to determine their preferences for health
care if one day they can no longer make the decision for themselves.
5. Myhealthevet User Guide for Veterans- guide to show veterans and family members how
to navigate through Myhealthevet.
In the absence of the Intake Nurse, the following procedures will take place:
Newly enrolled patients will be referred to directly to building 164 to the second floor in the morning (8:00-
11:59 AM) and third floor in the afternoon (12:00-4:00 PM).
1. When the patient is presented to Building 164 front desk PACT MSA will hand out the Primary
Care Medical Questionnaire to the patients to complete. Patients fill out the questionnaire to the best of
their abilities.
2. Upon completion of Primary Care Medical Questionnaire, a PACT LVN will review the patient
information and document the information using the PACT New Patient template located in CPRS.
3. The patient will then be referred to the PACT RN Care Manager who will see the patient and
review with the patient the information provided in CPRS.
4. The PACT RN Care Manager discusses the (PACT) Veteran Patient Handbook, VA Advance
Directive form and if needed the Veterans Health Education Classes and Groups packet.
5. The PACT RN Care Manager verifies the patient’s demographics and will then access the
PCMM enrollment capacity guide and schedule the patient their first PACT appointment based on their
desired date using the VISTA appointment management system.
6. The PACT RN Care Manager reviews the scheduled appointment with the patient and the
medical intake checklist.
6. RESPONSIBILITIES:
a. The Chief, Primary Care Healthcare Group or designee(s) are responsible for:
b. Nursing Supervisor Responsibilities:
To see if the new policy change will make the patient intake process more efficient.
c. PACT Nursing LVN and RN Care Manager:
To review the questionnaire, document information into CPRS, and schedule the patient’s first
PACT team appointment.
7. REFERENCES:
a. Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Long Beach, California. Healthcare
System Policy 00-02, Appointment and Consult Scheduling and Management (Electronic
Wait List.
b. VHA Directive 2010-027: VHA Outpatient Scheduling Processes and Procedures.
http://www.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=2252
c. VHA Blueprint for Excellence, September 2014: Applicable strategies include”

3. i. Strategy 1, 2 , 6 and 9
8. REVIEW AND FOLLOW-UP RESPONSIBILITY: The SOP will be reviewed within 6 months of its
implementation and then biannually thereafter. (length of time, 6-12months, annually, or biannually)
by the PACT Board Committee.
_____________________________ _____________________________
Anthony Vo, MD Maryann Child, MS, RN
Chief, Primary Care Healthcare Group Chief, Primary Care Healthcare Group
*May list attachments here