“The Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) health information exchange, aptly named the Veterans Health Information Exchange (VHIE), is set to deploy on April 17, 2020…”
“Jennifer MacDonald, MD, acting chief consultant to the Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Health at the VA, used a VA.gov blog post to offer her thoughts on why the opt-in feature and the VHIE will be beneficial to veterans.”
“’This comes as a result of the launch of the VA MISSION Act this past June, when VA expanded Veterans’ access to non-VA health care providers through the community care program,’ MacDonald wrote. ‘But as VA’s network of authorized community providers grows, so does the need to make sure those providers have access to the health information they need to deliver decisions about your care.’”
“The VHIE aims to improve patient safety and allows for interoperability for veterans receiving care at community providers.”
“It also gives providers access to laboratory results, medications, health history, medications, immunizations, allergies, illnesses, and occupational health information for veterans. Overall, it will improve quality care for veterans.”
“MacDonald, who is a family medicine physician and an Army veteran, said this change will have immediate benefits.”
“’Not only does this electronic sharing help you avoid carrying paper copies of your record between providers, but the secure, seamless exchange of information with the specific providers treating you can dramatically improve your safety – especially in emergency situations,’ she explained…” Read the full article here.
Source: VA Preparing for April Launch of Health Information Exchange – By Christopher Jason, March 19, 2020. EHR Intelligence.
