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VA New England Healthcare System

 

Veterans' Healthy Living, Summer 2014

VHL summer 2014 cover
Print | Web

Michael F. Mayo-SmithDear Veterans

A Message from the Network Director

Michael F. Mayo-Smith, M.D., M.P.H.
Network Director

 

For many, the summer season means going on vacation or relaxing with friends and family. The Network employees and I like doing those things, too. But first, we want to tell you about some exciting programs in VISN 1.

On page 3, we included an overview of the Rules Based Processing System (RBPS), which allows Veterans to add or change family member status through eBenefits quickly— generally in a matter of days. The idea for this tool came from a VA employee who wanted to make it easier for Veterans to make simple coverage changes.

We've been making other kinds of changes in VISN 1 that we think will have a lasting effect. On page 4, you can read about some of the award winning ways that VISN 1 is "going green" and the impact it is having at our facilities.

Page 5 details some of the ways we now deliver health care to make it more accessible for Veterans. Examples include the popular "Patient Aligned Care Team" (PACT) concept, extended facility hours, and Telehealth.

On page 6, we look at how VISN 1 has responded to President Obama's challenge of ending Veteran homelessness and learn why interpreting the numbers can be tricky.

Finally, we want to share some of the efforts of our dedicated outreach team members, whose goal is to find and enroll Veterans in VA health care. On page 7, you can read about a few of the hundreds of events that they are involved in each year.

Have a safe and happy summer, and thank you for your
service. Now let us serve you!


Michael F. Mayo-Smith, M.D., M.P.H.
Network Director