Seamlessly Transfer Care

In recent years, VA has made incredible strides to modernize its internal and external operating systems. The implementation of new interoperable electronic health records is underway, allowing VA and DoD clinicians to share health data, ensuring continuity of care for transitioning servicemembers. Additionally, VA has updated its website to be more interactive and intuitive, allowing veterans to quickly find the information they need. These are major accomplishments and a system slowly but surely moving to the 21st century is a win for all veterans.

Each generation of veterans, including the post-9/11 generation, rely on VA for both health care and benefits, and an agile system capable of accommodating them is critical. About 49% of all veterans are enrolled in VA health care. Among IAVA member survey respondents, 84% are enrolled in VA health care, of whom, 85% rated their experience at VA as average or above average. IAVA members have been clear that access to VA care can be challenging, but once in the system, they are satisfied with their treatment. Further independent reviews of VA health care show that the quality often exceeds the private sector.

Providing today’s veterans with a system willing to adapt to them will take the full coordination of the executive branch, Congress, state and local government, and stakeholders in the private and nonprofit sectors. We need a system that leverages the use of new technologies to streamline processes and enables the VA to take a more dynamic approach to respond to the needs of today’s veterans. Even so, the best technology will not save a system if it is built upon outdated structures. The VA must connect its internal departments and work with DoD to streamline services.

Within 10 years, it is projected that DoD and VA will have an integrated Electronic Health Medical Record (EHMR) system where service members will be able to seamlessly transfer their records from DoD to VA once they transition out of the military. This has been a vision for many in government, Congress, the VSO community, and the veteran community for years.

However, there is much work ahead to ensure that the implementation and roll out of this new integrated EHMR is done effectively and efficiently. Furthermore, while the next ten years will prove pivotal for this major overhaul, we must be vigilant in supporting those that will be transitioning out within the next 10 years that will be part of this new system.

An updated Transition Assistance Program (TAP) rolled out and aims to better support and assist transitioning service members in areas such as employment, education, health care, and benefits. Time will tell if this new TAP program changes outcome metrics and it will be dependent on all in the community to monitor and advocate for this program.

• Monitor and report on TAP outcomes
• Expand and report on VA and DoD efforts to familiarize transitioning service members with available benefits and services
• Ensure the EHMR overhaul continues on time and will function across all platforms at VA
• Ensure DoD health records are transferred to VA in timely fashion
• Ensure transitioning servicemembers are supported as they move from DoD to VA