David Shulkin, undersecretary for health at the Department of Veterans Affairs, told an Association of Health Care Journalists conference Friday that VA has launched new efforts to help military veterans access primary and mental healthcare services.
“We are working to rebuild the trust of the American public and more importantly the trust of the veterans whom we are proud to serve,” Shulkin said Friday.
VA aims to increase the number of medical centers that provide same-day appointment services, if necessary, to veterans through MyVA Access program.
The program is part of a broader initiative to transform VA into a customer service-focused department.
The department has also started to deploy the Veteran Appointment Request App that will work to help users view, book or cancel appointments with healthcare providers.
VA also piloted a new scheduling software program designed to help veterans to check wait times at various hospitals in real time as well as to help clinicians minimize scheduling errors and allow department personnel to monitor demand, supply and usage of healthcare services.