AI-Driven eFax Fix (AIEFF)  reduces administrative work, saving time and improving accuracy

When Veterans receive care from providers in their communities, important medical documents must be added to their VA health records quickly so care teams have the information they need. A new artificial intelligence (AI) tool is helping make that process faster and more accurate for Veterans who seek care at VHA facilities.

VHA’s AI-Driven eFax Fix (AIEFF) is a new technology that streamlines how community care documents are processed. The automated system uses AI to save staff time, reduce stress and help ensure Veterans’ records are updated quickly and accurately. By automating a time-consuming administrative process, the new AI-enable technology allows VA staff to spend less time sorting documents and more time supporting Veteran care.

Addressing a growing challenge in community care

Each year, VHA receives more than 13 million electronic faxes (eFaxes) from community care providers who treat Veterans outside of the VA health care system. Before the introduction of AIEFF, staff had to manually open each fax, locate key information, rename files and route the documents so they could be added to a Veteran’s medical record. The manual process is labor intensive, time consuming and error prone, creating backlogs, staff burnout and overtime costs.

AI automation helps keep Veterans’ records current

AIEFF streamlines this process by automatically reviewing incoming documents, organizing the information and routing files to the appropriate location within the Veteran’s health record.

Early results show the AI-driven tool is already helping reduce administrative burden and improve efficiency across participating facilities.

The automated AI-based solution is delivering immediate and promising results:  

• Shorter eFax processing times. 
• Fewer document backlogs. 
• Less documentation errors. 
• Lower administrative costs. 

“Implementing AIEFF has had immediate impacts, including faster processing time, decreased manual work and a reduction in backlogs,” said Evan Carey, Ph.D., acting director of VA’s National AI Institute. “This gives our care teams more time to shift their focus from administrative work to what matters most, the Veterans.”

Bay Pines leads the way with early adoption

The C.W. Bill Young Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (CWBYVAMC) in Bay Pines, Fla., was one of the first sites to adopt AIEFF. Frontline staff and clinical leaders helped shape how the tool would be integrated to improve how community care documentation is processed at their facility.

Since the launch of AIEFF in late 2025, the facility has seen significant improvements: 

• Time Saved: About 560 minutes per 400 documents. That’s nearly 4,000 minutes saved weekly at current fax volumes. 
• Faster processing: Average handling time per document dropped from 4.5 minutes to 3.1 minutes, or a 31% reduction. 
• Reduced backlogs: Automation has helped manage queues, reducing rework caused by labeling issues or duplicate records. 

Dr. Michele Jorgenson, assistant chief of Community Care at CWBYVAMC, led the way in integrating the tool to fit into real-world workflows. 

“I think this rolled out very well—it’s been very smooth,” said Jorgenson. “Despite the inherent limitations of any technology, our staff has expressed that they won’t go back to life without this tool.” She added that the project team’s support stood out just as much as the technology itself, calling the collaboration “a great experience and really helpful” for her staff. 

Expanding innovation across VA

The early success at CWBYVAMC is helping guide AIEFF expansion across the VA health care system. Additional VAMCs began implementing the AI tool in early 2026, with more sites preparing to come online throughout the year.

AIEFF will continue rolling out nationwide as VA works to streamline community care documentation and support timely, accurate updates to Veterans’ health records. As the rollout continues nationwide, the AI-driven tool will help streamline how community care documentation is processed, supporting faster updates to Veterans’ health records and helping care teams stay informed when Veterans receive care both inside and outside VA.