VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System

learn more about secure messaging and MyHealtheVet at www.myhealth.va.gov

Veterans in western Massachusetts will now have the opportunity to communicate online with health care staff through a new feature of the Internet-based My HealtheVet (pronounced My Healthy Vet) program.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Northampton VA Medical Center recently kicked off its “Secure Messaging” option.

The secure messaging program offers Veterans, active duty service members and others anywhere, anytime Internet access to health care information, resources, and tools. It allows Veterans registered with the program to send messages about non-urgent, health-related matters to the VA and receive a response within three business days.
 
Secure Messaging is not e-mail, but an encrypted, secure communication tool available through My HealtheVet.  Participating users may access the program 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on www.myhealth.va.gov.

It’s an addition to several other services also available on the site, including the ability to order medication refills and view appointment calendars. In the future, there are plans for applications that would allow veterans to check their lab results and look at medical records online, said Anne Sheerman, Northampton VAMC My HealtheVet coordinator.

The My HealtheVet Internet program started nationally in 2003 and in Northampton in 2004, with additional features added over the years, Sheerman said. Since the fall, the number of Veterans in western Massachusetts who have upgraded their accounts is up 63 percent.

Until September of last year, when Sheerman was hired to oversee the program, no staff member was specifically assigned to it. But with Sheerman on board, the Northampton VAMC is actively promoting the service.

One important benefit of the program is the opportunities it provides to homeless Veterans, who can use public computers in places like libraries to access and communicate information about their health care.

In addition to the prescription, appointment and messaging capabilities, there are places for Veterans to fill in details about their years of service, so it can be referenced if questions arise in the future.

Veterans can register by visiting www.myhealth.va.gov and then are urged to visit their local VA health care facility to get an upgraded account, known as In-Person-Authentication (IPA).  The purpose of the one-time authentication process is to verify the Veteran’s identity, in-person. 

For more information on the western Massachusetts My HealtheVet program, call Anne Sheerman at 413-584-4040 ext. 2808 or Release of Information at ext. 2505.

My HealtheVet features include:

- Refill VA prescriptions online*
- View VA appointments online*
- Secure Messaging between VA patients and participating VA healthcare providers*
- Access On-line Medical Libraries
- Keep track of personal health information
- Self-enter military and family health histories
- Track illnesses, accidents, or other events
- Enter and track over-the-counter medications, immunizations, and tests
- Record, track, and print (if desired) important vital statistics
- Explore the Healthy Living Centers and Diseases & Conditions Centers
- Future features specifically for VA patients include receiving VA laboratory results
* Requires VA patients to complete the one time In-Person Authentication (IPA)