Improving Veteran Access to Care by Streamlining Scheduling

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy hosted a webinar on improving veteran access to care through the VA's new External Provider Scheduling (EPS) system. This system streamlines scheduling community care appointments by directly connecting VA schedulers with community providers’ electronic health records across over 1,300 facilities nationwide. The goal is to reduce the average community care scheduling time from 24 days to under seven days, easing the burden on veterans, VA staff, and providers. EPS allows providers to control their availability, specify appointment types, and share essential patient instructions, improving efficiency and reducing no-show rates. Over 300,000 referrals were sent to community providers in the last year, including 150,000 for gastrointestinal endoscopy alone. The system is HIPAA and FedRAMP compliant, with no cost to community providers. A live demo showcased how VA schedulers can book appointments instantly with real-time provider availability, enhancing transparency and veteran satisfaction. The webinar encouraged community providers to join EPS to better serve veterans.

Keywords

Veteran healthcare access

External Provider Scheduling (EPS)

VA community care appointments

Gastrointestinal endoscopy referrals

Healthcare scheduling efficiency

HIPAA and FedRAMP compliance