New tool enhances veterans’ access to health care

  • Published
  • By Black Hills Health Care System
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  Veterans who receive primary care services as part of the VA Black Hills Health Care System can now take advantage of a new way to communicate with their health care teams.

The new communication tool, called "Secure Messaging," allows veterans to communicate electronically with their primary care team in the VA Black Hills Health Care System.

Secure Messaging is a great communication tool for all care except urgent communication, said Deann Arneson, My HealtheVet coordinator at Black Hills. Arneson said the system, which is as fast as e-mail, maintains the security of client information.

"It is meant for routine communication such as questions about appointments, prescriptions or other non-urgent health care matters," Arneson said. "We also plan to expand Secure Messaging to specialty care areas soon."

She added that Secure Messaging helps veterans avoid long hold times on the telephone, or missed phone calls from their health care team.

To take advantage of Secure Messaging veterans should create an account on My HealtheVet (www.myhealth.va.gov), making sure to check both VA patient and Veteran when they register. Next, the veteran should follow the In-Person Authentication link and complete the associated form.

"Veterans can complete the form at home and drop it off during their next visit or they can complete the form at the VA hospitals in Hot Springs, Fort Meade or any of our community-based outpatient clinics," Arneson said.

After the form is completed, it will take a few days for the veterans to be authenticated within the system. Veterans can tell their account has been authenticated if they can view their VA appointments and VA lab results on My HealtheVet - these are some of the site's other enhanced features available to veterans who complete the authentication process.

Once the authentication is completed veterans should log into their My HealtheVet account, click on Secure Messaging and 'Opt-in', which is agreeing to the terms and conditions of Secure Messaging.

"Opting-in only takes a moment, but it's a very important step because it opens up a new form of safe and secure two-way communication between veterans and their health care teams," Arneson said.

She added that by Opting-in now, veterans will have more control over their VA health care and will have Secure Messaging ready when they need it.

For more information about Secure Messaging and the many features of My HealtheVet, contact Deann Arneson at (605) 745-2000, ext. 2060, or at deann.arneson@va.gov . Veterans are reminded not to send any personal information when communicating via email.