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Direct enabled closed loop referral with non-VA community specialists

Description 
In OH, the VA uses Direct Messaging with three large Ohio health systems for closed loop referrals.  This has resulted in significant savings of time and staff resources for information exchange. Direct Messaging has improved care coordination for Veterans!  A VA user in Ohio says with VA Direct Messaging, “that we get [health information] immediately from community providers- plus we can converse electronically if there is an issue with the medical records!”
  • glen.crandall@va.gov
Start Date 
01/01/2018
Projected End Date 
05/01/2018
Project Tags 
  • Care Coordination
  • closed loop referral workflows
  • Closed-Loop
  • DIRECT
  • Direct Interoperability
  • direct secure messaging
  • interoperability
  • Interoperability
Project Point of Contact: kelly.gwynnremove@removedirecttrust.org
Project Results 
(select at least one of the quotes below)
1.	A VA user in Ohio says with VA Direct Messaging “that we get [health information] immediately from community providers- plus we can converse electronically if there is an issue with the medical records!”
2.	A VA user in Ohio shares that using VA Direct Messaging “saves us days of time” compared to sending the health information through the postal mail!
3.	A VA user in Ohio said VA Direct Messaging “gets the documentation in our records at least a week sooner than the [postal] mail route.”  
4.	A VA Health Information Management System (HIMS) Chief at an Ohio VA facility said, “The paper based [referral] process takes twice as long as using VA Direct Messaging!”
5.	A VA user in Ohio says that VA Direct Messaging “now allows us get the [Veteran’s health information] from  the [non-VA] facility  into the VA electronic record usually the same day, certainly within 24 hours, skipping the cumbersome mail and fee sorting steps.”