Challenge
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Capitol Health Care Network (VISN 5) lacked a centralized online location to obtain information, find resources, and communicate rural Veterans health issues for the purpose of supporting rural Veterans, health providers, families, caregivers, and other stakeholder groups (e.g., administrators, service organizations, and decision makers).
Solution
The Network engaged Atlas Research to create the Rural Veterans Health Information Center (RVHIC), a conceptual web-based information resource and networking tool designed to provide the rural Veteran community with increased connectedness, two-way communication, and collaboration opportunities across the traditional barriers of geography, organizational domain/hierarchy, and professional affinity.
The three main components of the RVHIC are: 1) an online library that provides access to information and resources related to Veterans health topics, benefits and enrollment, new programs, and My HealtheVet; 2) an online classroom that offers interactive resources and tools for field-based professionals; and 3) a collaborative social network that affords Veterans the ability to connect with a community of peers as well as a network of caregivers, students, researchers, and other stakeholders.
Result
Atlas Research assisted the Network by providing the RVHIC, a collaborative social network that promotes collaboration and resource sharing, and links Veterans and their families to valuable health information and local resources. RVHIC efforts support organized, high-quality health collaboration and care, improving the quality of services to Veterans in VISN 5.