Challenge
Rural Veterans (and their families) residing in geographically remote areas are greatly in need of improved access to quality health care services. Although some Veterans choose to go to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities, others prefer to use private health care providers, such as Community Health Centers (CHCs). By choosing one to the exclusion of the other, Veterans might be limiting their access to more comprehensive health care services.
Solution
The VA Capitol Health Care Network initiated the Collaboration with Rural Community Health Centers Project, with an aim to increase coordination and collaboration between the Network and the privately run Community Health Centers (CHCs). Atlas and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) were selected to help conceptualize and guide the project, the primary goals of which are to identify CHC patients who are rural Veterans, encourage their enrollment, and better coordinate care between VA and CHCs.
Result
The project began with a baseline assessment of Veterans participating in four rural CHC systems within the Network. Atlas Research and NACHC analyzed current CHC patient populations to determine the numbers of rural, homeless, women, and Operation Enduring Freedom-Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) Veterans served, and confirmed their enrollment status. Based on the results of the assessment, CHC sites were selected to participate in a four-month pilot project. Target Veterans include those who are eligible for VA services and use CHCs, in addition to or instead of VA, and Veterans who use CHCs and who might be eligible for VA services, but are not enrolled.
Atlas contributions to this project will enable VA to better understand the rural Veteran population’s health care needs, improve CHC-VA collaboration, enhance coordination of care, and increase VA enrollment.