Every year on Veterans Day, our nation honors all those who served in the military. It is a day for remembrance, reflection, and gratitude for those who defended the American way of life. At the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), we honor Veterans every day through our continued commitment to ensuring they receive the world-class health care, benefits, and services they deserve.

This commitment is fulfilled by VA’s dedicated workforce, many of whom are Veterans themselves. This reflects a unique understanding and shared experience because they have donned the same uniforms and faced the same challenges of military life. This connection enriches Veterans’ experience at VA facilities and fosters an environment where Veterans can feel understood, supported, and cared for.

Since becoming VA Deputy Secretary, I have prioritized visiting VA facilities and have had the privilege of hearing first-hand from my fellow Veterans about their needs and experiences. Their stories highlight not only the need for high-quality health care but also the importance of more time for individual attention. In fact, on every trip, I go to a Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) or American Legion post and convene a roundtable to hear from Veterans on what VA can do better. One of the main takeaways regarding health care is “More care, less history.”

Veterans want to discuss their current health care needs, rather than continually recounting their medical history, and care providers want to practice medicine instead of navigating a cumbersome health record. Consequently, VA must improve its service to Veterans by ensuring that their entire medical history — including all tests, medications, and referrals — is readily accessible at any time at any facility.

For this reason, Secretary Collins and I have made deploying the Federal Electronic Health Record (EHR) a top priority. The Federal EHR is a powerful tool that will help Veterans, improve care provision, and drive innovation. Veterans will have more time to talk with providers about current concerns because they will spend less time repeating their health history. Veterans will also spend less time undergoing repeat tests, imaging, and exams because results and reports from the Department of War and community health care providers are already in the system.

Another benefit of the Federal EHR is that Veterans will have an improved and consistent experience when transferring their care from their local VA. If a Veteran is referred to another VA or visits a community provider, the new care team will be able to quickly access all their records, referrals, and orders. Finally, Veterans will benefit from innovative treatment options. As the system is deployed to more facilities, it will generate more data, leading to more informed and innovative treatments for all Veterans.

The deployment of the Federal EHR throughout VA should feel seamless to Veterans. The only thing they should notice is that their doctors and nurses have more time for meaningful conversations with them.

Veterans are at the center of everything we do, and we honor their sacrifices by delivering superior health care through better systems, more accessible services, and a deeper understanding of their unique needs. Veterans put us first when they committed to serve in the armed forces. Now, it is our turn to put Veterans first by accelerating the delivery of a fully functional, integrated EHR system that enhances their care and well-being. 

To all those who have served this great nation and defended its ideals, thank you, and Happy Veterans Day.

Learn more about VA’s EHR Modernization initiative.