Improving Veteran Access to Care Act

Improved Access to Care: The plan aims to ensure timely delivery of health care and better access to health care through improved processes (Section 2(b)(1)(A)).

Enhanced Patient Autonomy: The development of a self-service scheduling platform would allow patients to view available appointments, fully schedule them, and cancel or reschedule appointments on their own (Section 2(b)(2)(A)(ii)).

Streamlined Referral Process: For appointments requiring a referral, the new platform would provide a way for patients to request a referral and then book the appointment once it is approved (Section 2(b)(2)(A)(ii)(II)).

Support for Non-Digital Users: Patients can still contact or schedule appointments directly with a facility or provider through non-online processes (Section 2(b)(f)).

Direct Human Assistance: The plan includes a process for patients to speak with a scheduler over the telephone to determine availability and schedule appointments (Section 2(b)(2)(A)(iii)).

Better Employee Experience: The plan includes improvements for Department employees responsible for scheduling, including better information technology and training (Section 2(a); Section 2(b)(2)(A)(iv)).

Implementation Delays: While the Secretary must submit a plan within one year, full implementation is not required until two years after that submission (Section 2(a); Section 2(c)).

Potential Unmet Objectives: If the Secretary determines that certain objectives or features cannot be implemented, those specific services or features may not be included in the final product (Section 2(b)(2)(B)).