WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said new technology now operating nationwide could significantly reduce the time it takes for veterans to schedule health care appointments with community providers.

The system, known as External Provider Scheduling, is designed to streamline the process of booking care outside VA facilities.

VA officials announced Monday that the system is now active at all department facilities and allows VA staff to directly access scheduling systems used by community health care providers. With the platform, employees can view available appointments and book them immediately for veterans who are eligible to receive care outside the VA network.

Without the technology, VA staff often must contact several outside providers by phone and then relay availability back to veterans before an appointment can be confirmed. Officials said the traditional process could take days or weeks and limit how many appointments employees could schedule in a single day.

The new system allows staff to schedule as many as 25 community care appointments daily, compared with only a handful under the previous process. VA leaders said the change is expected to reduce delays and help veterans receive care more quickly.

According to the VA, about 27,000 community care providers currently participate in the system, representing 78 medical specialties. The VA plans to expand the program further this year.

According to the department, participation in the scheduling platform is free for outside health care providers. Officials said the initiative is part of an effort to improve access to care for veterans who choose to receive treatment outside VA hospitals or clinics.

“The Veterans Health Administration provides care to more than 9.1 million veterans enrolled in the VA health care program nationally,” cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer health reporter Julie Washington said. “VA medical centers — such as our local Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center —provide a wide range of services including surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy.”

Original source: US