VA Palo Alto Health Care System

The VA Palo Alto Health Care System is one of the larger hospital systems in the Department of Veterans Affairs. Its main campus, the Palo Alto VA Medical Center, spreads across a hillside at 3801 Miranda Avenue, just off Foothill Expressway in the southwest part of town. Most Palo Alto residents drive past it without thinking much about it. For veterans and their families it is the hub of care for a region that reaches far beyond the city.

This page covers what the Palo Alto campus offers, the programs it is known for, how veterans enroll and what visitors need to know. It is general information, not medical advice. In an emergency, call 911. Facts come from VA.gov and the VA's polytrauma program pages as they read in late October 2026.

The system and its divisions

The Palo Alto campus is the largest of three inpatient divisions. VA.gov lists the others at 795 Willow Road in Menlo Park and 4951 Arroyo Road in Livermore. The system also runs community clinics in other cities. A 2021 VA announcement described more than 67,000 enrolled veterans, over 800 beds, more than 7,000 staff and volunteers and a $1.1 billion operating budget. Those numbers have likely shifted since, so treat them as a sense of scale.

The same announcement called VA Palo Alto a teaching hospital with strong partnerships with the Stanford University School of Medicine, plus academic ties in allied health. The Palo Alto VA is part of the VA's regional network known as VISN 21.

What the Palo Alto campus offers

The VA.gov location page lists the medical center as open 24 hours a day, every day. Its emergency department keeps the same hours. The page lists dozens of services. Among them:

• Primary and specialty care: cardiology, dermatology, gastroenterology, neurology, oncology, pulmonary medicine, urology and more.
• Surgery: general and vascular surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedics, bariatric surgery and colon and rectal surgery.
• Mental health: addiction and substance use care, suicide prevention, military sexual trauma care and social work.
• Rehabilitation: physical medicine, physical and occupational therapy, prosthetics, speech pathology and recreation and creative arts therapy.
• Everyday care: pharmacy, lab, radiology, dental care, optometry, audiology, women veteran care and geriatrics.

The campus also has its own small town center. VA.gov lists Building 101 as home to the Patriot Café, Patriot Brew, the Patriot Store, the Patient Advocate Office, a chapel and a Meriwest Credit Union branch. Building 6 holds a U.S. Post Office.

Polytrauma, spinal cord and blind rehabilitation

Three programs give VA Palo Alto a national role. Patients come from across the country for them.

Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center

The VA's polytrauma program page calls the Palo Alto center "one of 5 facilities in the country designed to provide intensive rehabilitative care to Veterans and Servicemembers who experienced severe injuries." Polytrauma means injuries to more than one body system, often including traumatic brain injury. The Palo Alto programs include:

• the Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center, an inpatient rehabilitation unit
• the Polytrauma Transitional Rehabilitation Program, a residential unit for traumatic brain injury
• the Intensive Evaluation and Treatment Program for service members and veterans with mild to moderate brain injury
• a Polytrauma Network Site, one of 23 outpatient programs nationally

The page lists an admissions coordinator through the main number at extension 66764 for families who want to ask about an evaluation.

Spinal cord injury and blind rehabilitation

VA.gov notes that the VA runs the nation's largest system of care for spinal cord injuries and disorders, with a major center on this campus. The Western Blind Rehabilitation Center, a 32-bed residential program, teaches vision rehabilitation skills to veterans who are blind or have low vision.

How veterans enroll

To use VA health care, a veteran first applies and is found eligible. The VA's how to apply page lists these ways:

1. Online through VA.gov.
2. By phone at 877-222-8387, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time.
3. By mail using VA Form 10-10EZ, sent to the Health Eligibility Center in Janesville, Wisconsin.
4. In person by bringing a signed Form 10-10EZ to a VA medical center or clinic, including Miranda Avenue.
5. With help from an accredited representative or a Veterans Service Organization.

Gather these first: Social Security numbers for you and dependents, your DD214 or other separation papers, any exposure history, insurance cards including Medicare and last year's household income. The VA says you do not have to report income if other factors establish your eligibility.

Once enrolled, VA Health Connect handles scheduling and nurse advice. Our resources for older adults guide lists local help with Medicare questions, which many older veterans juggle alongside VA care.

Visiting the campus

The campus is large and the buildings are numbered, so check the VA's campus map before you go. A few rules from VA.gov:

• Parking is free. The VA asks visitors to allow extra time to find a spot.
• No overnight visitors are allowed in the medical center.
• Fisher Houses. Two Fisher Houses offer free temporary lodging to families of veterans and service members in inpatient care. Guests must live 50 miles or more away. Call (650) 493-5000, extension 60384.
• Defenders Lodge houses patients during extensive treatment such as chemotherapy. Only service animals are allowed.

Families who cannot get a Fisher House room can compare hotels near the VA along El Camino Real, a short drive down Page Mill Road. By train, VA.gov names California Avenue as the nearest Caltrain station. Our California Avenue station guide covers buses and rideshare from there.

Tips for a first visit

The Miranda Avenue campus is spread out over many buildings. First appointments can take longer than you expect. A little planning helps.

• Know your building. Your appointment details should name the building and clinic. Check the campus map on VA.gov before you leave home, since walking between buildings takes time.
• Bring documents. Bring photo ID, your insurance cards and a list of current medications. If you have not finished enrolling, bring your discharge papers too.
• Arrive early. The lots fill on weekday mornings. Parking is free, but finding a space can take a while.
• Ask about a patient advocate. The Patient Advocate Office in Building 101 helps with concerns about care or access.
• Transit. VTA buses serve the Foothill Expressway and El Camino Real corridors. Our VTA guide explains routes and fares. Check the current route map before relying on a bus for a timed appointment.

Neighbors in nearby Barron Park and the hills above it share the roads with campus traffic. Weekday mornings on Foothill Expressway near Page Mill Road and Hillview Avenue can back up, so leave a cushion of time.

For non-veterans and neighbors

The Palo Alto VA mostly serves enrolled veterans, though some programs include caregivers, families and returning service members. Residents who are not veterans should use Stanford, Sutter or another provider. Our healthcare overview and emergency rooms guide explain the options. Neighbors who want to help veterans can start with our volunteering guide.

Frequently asked questions