Keeping care connected: How VA Direct supports Veterans
VA News ·
The VA Direct team supports providers using Direct Secure Messaging to keep information reliable.
When Veterans receive care outside VA, their health information needs to follow them. Whether it is a specialist appointment, emergency visit or community care referral, timely information sharing helps ensure Veterans receive coordinated care without unnecessary delays or repeated tests. That is why VA is committed to robust coordination with non-VA providers via Direct Secure Messaging , a tool that allows providers to send and receive clinical information quickly and securely.
The VA team that monitors the Direct Secure Messaging system works behind the scenes to help VA and non-VA (community) providers share health information securely and reliably.
This steady communication keeps information flowing smoothly, preventing delays in care or miscommunication. When providers have what they need to stay connected and use VA Direct effectively, Veterans benefit through safer care and better-coordinated services.
VA Direct strengthens VA’s commitment to secure and seamless information exchange that supports reliable and timely decisions for Veterans.
“The team that oversees this tool works to monitor and maintain the network of non-VA providers so that Veterans experience fewer disruptions in their care,” said Greg Downing, MD, acting chief officer, Digital Health Office.
Before this work began, many providers struggled to understand how VA Direct worked. With this improvement, Veterans experience clearer communication between their providers and can see more consistent follow‑up on their health needs.
Regular check-ins are a key part of this work and allow providers to identify challenges before something might stop working.
This early detection gives the team time to step in early. In one case, early identification of an issue protected smooth information sharing and continuity of care. Ongoing communication, user support, trend monitoring and updates to documentation help both VA and non-VA providers adjust as their needs change and support stable operations and growing interest in using Direct for more purposes.
As Yaasmeen Daud, clinical informaticist for the VA Direct Partner Management Team, noted, “I really want to emphasize that our mission here is to continue to build on these strong partnerships with our non-VA providers that can hopefully help different healthcare systems continue to work together—cutting down extra paperwork by using Direct and making sure our Veterans get timely, well-coordinated, high-quality care.”
The VA Direct team advances VA’s commitment to put Veterans first by ensuring Veterans’ health information is not only accessible but actionable. Every secure message exchanged through Direct represents an opportunity for better-coordinated care. By helping VA and community providers stay connected, the VA Direct team helps Veterans spend less time waiting for information and more time receiving the care they need.
For information on VA Direct, visit the VA Direct Fact Sheet