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Mapping Launches New e-Workshop Series
VHA
Realizes Benefit from Newly Developed Policies and Procedures Guide and
Web site
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VHA Realizes Benefits From Newly Developed
Policies and Procedures Guide and Web
Site
By Cynthia Whitty, Public Relations Specialist
Background
Approximately 70 million people – about a quarter of the nation's
population – are potentially eligible for the United States (U.S.)
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits and services because they
are veterans, family members, or survivors of veterans.
Among the services and benefits VA provides is a health care plan through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to all enrolled individuals, offering priority enrollment to those with service-connected disabilities and those below the annually defined low income threshold. This plan emphasizes preventive and primary care and offers a full range of outpatient and inpatient services within the VA health care system.
Problem
The VHA Chief Business Office (CBO), responsible for developing administrative
processes, policies, and directives associated with the delivery of VA
health benefit programs, produces information widely used by VHA field
staff members, including patient enrollment coordinators, fee and revenue
staff, and program analysts, to determine eligibility.
However, since the formats varied and much of the information was out-of-date, critical policies and procedures were difficult to find, use, and understand.
Solution
As part of its mission to produce quality products, manage effectively,
and measure results, the CBO engaged Information Mapping to revise and
redesign its information and develop a Web site.
Information Mapping
- performed a comprehensive analysis of the workflow and business processes, identifying gaps, redundancies and conflicting information
- captured and created information, aligning it with the business process and creating the CBO Procedures Guide, and
- designed and developed a fully navigable XML-based Web site, the CBO Procedures Guide Portal.
An example of the CBO Procedures Guide Portal is shown below.
Results
VHA recently conducted a survey to determine user response to the content,
design, usability, and time savings associated with the project. The survey
found that just over
- 83% of the respondents rated the CBO portal as 50%-100% more effective in locating information compared to the past when only the hard copy manual existed, and
- 85% of the respondents rated the CBO portal as “Excellent/Very Good/Good” in helping to improve the quality and accuracy of their work compared to the past.
Overall, of the respondents surveyed
- 70% rated their satisfaction with the CBO portal design and usability, including visual appeal; design, layout, and organization; and ease of site navigation, as “Excellent/Very Good,” and
- just over 70% rated their satisfaction with the CBO portal content, including clarity of labeling and level of detail, as “Excellent/Very Good.”
As a result of implementing the CBO Procedures Guide Portal, VHA is now able to better comply with its own policies and procedures. VHA is realizing
- improved benefits/service delivery
- increased accuracy in claims processing, and
- increased veteran satisfaction.
Additional Information
For more information on Information Mapping's consulting services, contact
Noel McDonagh, 781-547-3137, or noelm@infomap.com.
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