Introduction
In an important move to enhance healthcare for veterans, Epic and Oracle Health have officially joined the Veteran Interoperability Pledge. This initiative, launched by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), aims to improve the exchange of health information between VA facilities and private-sector providers. Through open APIs and the commitment of healthcare giants like Epic and Oracle Health, the future of veteran healthcare looks increasingly connected and coordinated.
Overview of the Veteran Interoperability Pledge
The Veteran Interoperability Pledge was introduced by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs in an effort to streamline care coordination for veterans who receive treatment both within VA facilities and from community healthcare providers. The pledge encourages collaboration between healthcare systems and the VA, with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes for veterans by sharing critical health data.
More than a dozen health systems, including prominent names like Emory Healthcare, Mass General Brigham, and Kaiser Permanente, have signed onto the pledge since its announcement in 2023. These systems are committed to improving care coordination for veterans by enhancing the exchange of health data and ensuring that veterans receive the benefits they have earned.
Key Objectives of the Pledge
The Veteran Interoperability Pledge focuses on three main objectives designed to improve veteran care:
Identifying Veterans Accurately
One of the primary goals of the pledge is to ensure that veterans are accurately identified when they seek care outside of VA facilities. By leveraging VA resources and integrating open APIs, health systems can accurately determine a patient’s veteran status and provide the appropriate care and services.
Connecting Veterans with Health Resources
Veterans are entitled to a range of health resources, many of which can help reduce their out-of-pocket costs. The pledge ensures that veterans are connected with these resources, enabling them to access both community-based and VA healthcare services without unnecessary financial burdens.
Coordinating Care for Veterans
A key element of the pledge is the coordination of care for veterans who are treated in both VA and private healthcare systems. Through the exchange of clinical and administrative data, healthcare providers can ensure that veterans receive comprehensive, high-quality care regardless of where they are being treated.
Epic and Oracle Health’s Commitment to the Pledge
This week, the Veteran Interoperability Pledge received a significant boost as Epic and Oracle Health, two of the largest electronic health record (EHR) vendors in the U.S., announced their commitment to the initiative. Both companies have made open API code available to their hospital and health system clients, enabling them to connect with VA systems for more efficient data sharing.
Epic’s Contribution to Interoperability
Epic has long been a leader in healthcare data exchange, and their commitment to the Veteran Interoperability Pledge is no exception. In a recent announcement, Matt Doyle, Epic’s interoperability software development lead, highlighted the company’s new API that allows customers to connect with apps outside of the Epic system. This open API is crucial for enabling health systems to identify veterans and connect them with the benefits and care they deserve.
Oracle Health’s Role in Enhancing Data Sharing
Oracle Health has also made significant strides in enhancing data sharing for veterans. In a statement, Seema Verma, general manager of Oracle Health and Life Sciences, emphasized the importance of enabling data to follow the patient throughout their healthcare journey. Oracle Health has made its API code package available to all hospital clients, allowing them to identify veterans within their workflows and connect them with VA resources.
Impact on Health Systems and Veteran Care
Several health systems that signed the Veteran Interoperability Pledge have already seen measurable improvements in their ability to serve veteran patients. By using the open APIs provided by Epic and Oracle Health, these systems are now able to identify veterans more accurately, connect them with crucial resources, and coordinate their care more efficiently.
Sanford Health’s Success
One of the most notable success stories comes from Sanford Health, which has used the open API to identify 12,000 veteran patients. By leveraging this technology, Sanford Health can connect these patients with comprehensive information about the healthcare and benefits they are entitled to through the VA.
Tufts Medicine’s Life-Saving Initiative
Tufts Medicine has taken a proactive approach to supporting veterans in crisis. By using the API tool, they can now identify veterans in suicidal crises in their emergency rooms. This initiative allows Tufts Medicine to connect veterans with free VA coverage and notify the Boston VA Medical Center for crucial follow-up care. This life-saving measure has proven to be a significant advancement in veteran care coordination.
Marshfield Clinic’s PACT Act Implementation
The Marshfield Clinic has also made great strides in connecting veterans with the benefits they’ve earned under the PACT Act. By integrating the open API, Marshfield Clinic has been able to ensure that thousands of veterans receive the care and benefits they deserve.
The Future of Interoperability in Veteran Healthcare
With the continued support of health systems and EHR vendors like Epic and Oracle Health, the future of veteran healthcare looks bright. The Veteran Interoperability Pledge is paving the way for more seamless data exchange, ensuring that veterans receive the highest quality care no matter where they seek treatment. As more health systems adopt these open APIs, the potential for improved care coordination and reduced healthcare costs for veterans will only continue to grow.
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FAQs
1. What is the Veteran Interoperability Pledge?
A. The Veteran Interoperability Pledge is an initiative by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs aimed at improving the exchange of health information between VA facilities and private-sector providers to ensure veterans receive coordinated and comprehensive care.
2. How are Epic and Oracle Health contributing to the pledge?
A. Epic and Oracle Health have made open API code available to their hospital clients, allowing health systems to connect with VA systems and improve the identification and care coordination of veteran patients.
3. How does the pledge benefit veterans?
A. The pledge helps veterans by ensuring they are accurately identified, connected with resources that lower their healthcare costs, and receive coordinated care between VA and community healthcare providers.
4. What are some success stories from health systems participating in the pledge?
A. Health systems like Sanford Health, Tufts Medicine, and Marshfield Clinic have successfully used open APIs to identify veteran patients, connect them with benefits, and coordinate life-saving care.
