Fargo VA Health Care System

Call center has goal to reach out to every woman Vet

Officials anticipate that approximately 40,000 calls a quarter will be generated in this major outreach effort in order to bring more women into VA care.

Veterans contacted through the WVCC will be given the option to receive information on VA services via e-mail or standard mail. Standard mail will include a pre-loaded flash drive that includes links to information on VA services and benefits.

Those Veterans who are contacted and referred to the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and/or Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) will receive a 30-day follow up call from the contact representative to ensure their needs are met.

The goals of the WVCC are to:

• Increase women Veterans knowledge of all VA services and benefits
• Increase enrollment of women Veterans in VHA
• Increase utilization of VHA health care services by women Veterans

The WVCC responsibilities include to:

• Ensure that all women Veterans are contacted and provided with accurate and consistent information on Veteran’s benefits
• Inform women Veterans of benefits including care management programs, employment opportunities and other VA services that are available and how to access these services
• Assist enrollment in VA health care and benefits, and providing contact assistance should they choose to use VA
• Provide quality, responsive, respectful, and ethical Veteran service

The WVCC will have a phased-approach to meeting its goal.

The first population to be contacted is women Veterans who are enrolled with VA, but not using VA care, followed by women Veterans who are neither enrolled in VHA or VBA.

The WVCC representatives place calls to women Veterans. Women Veterans are then either referred to the Inquiry Routing and Information System (IRIS) for VBA issues or to VHA IRIS for generic issues (i.e. getting an appointment).

In the case of unique issues of Veteran (i.e. previous visit was not welcoming, specific problems, or negative experience with VA hospital); the WVCC representative contacts the patient advocate at the Veteran’s local facility for a warm hand off (phone call). The Patient Advocate will assess the Veterans specific needs and coordinate care with appropriate staff (Women Veteran Program Manager (WVPM), Military Sexual Trauma (MST) Coordinator, Homeless Coordinator, etc).