What You Should Know:
– A new connection between Epic’s healthcare software and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) system is helping thousands of veterans access critical healthcare, food, and housing benefits.
– The enhanced interoperability allows healthcare providers using Epic to automatically screen patients for veteran status and connect those eligible with the benefits they’ve earned.
Expanding Access to Benefits
Since going live earlier this year, the Epic-VA connection has screened millions of patients and identified nearly 100,000 eligible veterans. Tufts Medicine and Sanford Health were the first organizations to implement this connection, and they have already helped thousands of veterans access benefits, particularly under the new Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. The PACT Act expands benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances during their service.
Streamlining the Screening Process
With this new interoperability, caregivers using Epic can seamlessly screen patients for veteran status and guide them through the process of accessing available benefits. This streamlined approach eliminates manual processes and ensures that veterans receive the support they need efficiently.
Epic’s Commitment to Interoperability
The VA connection is the latest example of Epic’s ongoing efforts to enhance interoperability in healthcare. Epic has been a pioneer in building electronic health record (EHR)-based interoperability networks and has partnered with other organizations to create nationwide exchange frameworks like Carequality and TEFCA. Today, all health systems using Epic are interoperable, enabling seamless data sharing and improving care coordination for millions of patients.
“Our work with Epic and the VA has enabled Tufts Medicine to make significant strides in how we support our Veteran patients,” said Dr. Shafiq Rab, CIO of Tufts Medicine. “Since going live in January, we’ve retained the Veteran status field within our patient access system, allowing us to use both self-reported and VA-verified status. This ensures our clinicians can acknowledge and respond to a patient’s Veteran status right from the start, enabling them to determine the best clinical services for each individual. This initiative has allowed us to focus on the unique needs of Veterans and offer them the respectful care they deserve.”
