VA and DoD Share Medical Records

Week of October 06, 2008

Instant electronic medical information from the DoD  about severely wounded troops will be transferred to the VA's four polytrauma centers in Tampa, Fla.; Richmond, Va.; Minneapolis; and Palo Alto, Calif. and to all Army medical treatment facilities. The patient information to be shared between DoD and VA involves electronic notes on the patient's situation and background, an assessment of his or her condition, and recommendations for future care. This uniform, standard method of communicating patient information will ensure veterans receive high quality care immediately after being transferred and the information is available and accessible at all times. The departments are working to eventually make all of their electronic patient records interoperable.