About locations content — for VAMCs
The Veteran-centered purpose
“As a Veteran, family member, or caregiver, I want to know key information about a specific facility, such as address and parking info, or whether it offers a health service I need.”
In this guide
↓ Basic location data & the Facility API
Location content types
Two content types feed information to dozens of pages
There are two content types in the CMS that manage information about locations in your VAMC health care system: Locations List, and VAMC Facility. Information you add to these content types will be displayed to site visitors wherever they might need a particular piece of information related to a location. This amounts to dozens of pages that display select content about a particular location.
Locations list content type
The Locations List content type controls the page title, page introduction, and meta tags for the Locations page on your site. You probably won’t need to edit this information if your VAMC site is already set up. This content type will automatically display a list of the facilities in your VAMC system. Site visitors can click on a facility to navigate to each individual facility location page.
VAMC facility content type
The Facility content type lets you add and edit information for individual facilities like hospitals or clinics. Use this content type to edit the facility's photo, list of location services like parking and dining options, the facility's operating status, and more. Information you add here will show up on separate pages for each hospital or clinic, and as a listing on the Locations page.
How to edit a VAMC facility
Basic location data & the Facility API
The Facility API manages basic location data automatically
There are certain kinds of basic location information, such as the facility’s address and phone number, that is managed by the Veteran Administration Site Tracking system (VAST). This data is made available through an application programming interface called the Facility API, which automatically feeds into the CMS, which in turn feeds it to your VAMC site.
What this looks like in the CMS
When you go to edit a VAMC facility in the CMS, you’ll see basic location data from the Facility API, but you won’t be able to edit it.
What data does the Facility API manage?
- Facility name
- Facility type / classification
- Address
- Phone number
- Mental health helpline
- Hours of operation
- Patient satisfaction and wait time data
Why can’t I manage my facility’s basic location data directly?
Having your facility’s location info in a centralized database of all VA facility locations means that Veterans anywhere can find your VAMC facility using VA’s facility locator tool. If data for your VAMC facility needs to be updated, follow the process on this page to locate the right administrator and request a change.