HAMPTON, Va. — For years, the Department of Veterans Affairs employees, veterans, and community care providers have wanted a seamless electronic health record solution to improve patient care and support. To make that happen, an overhaul was needed.
Last July, 23.5 million Veterans' health records were transferred to a shared data center with the U.S. Department of Defense. The ten year, $16 billion records modernization effort is designed to give doctors instant and seamless access to veterans' full-service health records and history.
"It's incredibly urgent," said Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center director David Collins. "The civilian system is going to that. Clearly, we need to keep up with them to provide the same standard of care."
Collins said the V.A. is now on a good trajectory when it comes to electronic records.
"You know, the veterans don't have to take a cardboard box of their copied records to the V.A.," he said. "You know, that transfer in the future will happen automatically."
At the Hampton V.A., several technological tools are already available for the estimated 50,000 veterans who use that facility.
They include the website "My HealtheVet" and its secure messaging feature, giving vets safe, direct contact with caregivers.
"Twenty-four-seven, they're able to message their health care team and actually get a response back within a day," said Angela Tomlin, HVAMC Myhealthevet Coordinator.
There's also the "VA Telehealth" website, giving patients easier access to scheduling, and cutting through red tape.
"Absolutely and talk to their providers and see how they can be seen virtually and that will decrease their time and their wait in getting into appointments," said June Denby, HVAMC Telehealth coordinator.
Also, there are VA mobile app making health care easier and better for vets.
"For us, mental health, we are expanding into telemental health, so patients don't have to come all the way to the Hampton V.A., we can see them at their home," said Dr. Maninder Singh, HVAMC Chief of Mental Health Services.
One aspect of the overall patient experience is wait times.
According to the V.A.'s web-site, the wait time for primary care today is 44 days. That is a vast improvement over past years. But it is still second-worst in the state, behind only the Chesapeake V.A. Clinic's 81 days.