• Home
  • Military Discounts
    • Military & Veteran Discount List
    • Local Military and Veterans Discounts
    • Apple Military Discount
    • Veteran & Military Cell Phone Discounts
    • Gym and Health Club Discounts
  • Benefits
    • 10 Veterans Benefits You May Not Know About
    • Top Military Spouse Benefits
    • Medal of Honor: Benefits, History and Facts
    • Purple Heart Benefits
    • Veterans Health A to Z
  • Housing & Home Ownership
    • VA Loan Calculator
    • VA Loan Limits by County
    • VA Home Loan Guide
    • 5 Benefits of a VA Loan
    • 2022 BAH Rates
    • BAH Calculator
  • Money & Finance
    • 2022 Military Pay Charts
    • 2022 Defense Budget
    • 2022 Military Pay
    • 2022 Military Pay Charts
    • COLA Watch 2022-2023
    • Military Pay Calculator
    • Military Pay Dates
    • VA Disability Rates
  • Jobs
    • Veteran Friendly Employers
    • Military Spouse Employment Preference
    • Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS)
    • Security Clearance Jobs After the Military
  • Education
    • Veteran Friendly Colleges
    • Online Colleges with Military Discounts
    • Veteran Friendly Colleges Guide
    • Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA)
    • Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) for the GI Bill
    • Forever GI Bill
  • Resources
    • How to Get a Veterans ID Card
    • Veterans ID on Driver’s License or ID Card by State
    • Military ID Cards
    • Military Calendar
    • State Veteran’s Benefits
Home » The VA Patient Advocacy Program

The VA Patient Advocacy Program

VA Patient Advocacy ProgramThe Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is said to be among the largest integrated health care systems in America. VHA, commonly known to some simply as “The VA” or the VA healthcare system, provides services at more than 1200 health care facilities.

Of that number, there are more than 170 VA Medical Centers, over a thousand VHA outpatient locations, and over 9 million people using VA health care. With such a large number of patients, it’s not surprising that the Department of Veterans Affairs needs a designated program to provide representation and advocacy for VA patients; the VA Patient Advocacy Program was created by the Department of Veterans Affairs to help those using the VA healthcare system get the best treatment possible.

The Patient Advocacy Program is for both veterans and family members receiving care at Veterans Health Administration facilities. It’s part of a “treatment team” concept that addresses issues at every stage of care.


The VA Patient Advocacy Program Is Available At All VHA Facilities

Every person getting care at a VA facility is entitled to discuss their concerns or needs with a VA Patient Advocate. The VA official site says these professionals are “available at every medical center” run by the VA.


The Role Of The VA Patient Advocate

Patient Advocates are described by the VA as highly trained professionals who are there to resolve concerns about “any aspect” of VA healthcare, “particularly those concerns that cannot be resolved at the point of care.”

The Procedure Of Speaking To A Patient Advocate

The VA has a set of procedures all patients are asked to follow when leading up to a discussion with your Patient Advocate. In the spirit of resolving issues at the lowest level possible, the VA official site asks patients offering compliments or suggestions, or those with concerns to speak first with the treatment team before elevating things to the Patient Advocate level.

The “lowest level resolution” process will involve you speaking first to your provider, but may require you to elevate the discussion to the care provider’s supervisor or even the head of the department first depending on circumstances.

“If your concern is still unresolved” at this level, the VA official site advises patients to begin the process to contact the Patient Advocate who can help, “..in filing an appeal for a review of your concern” where applicable.


Who Is My VA Health Care Treatment Team?

The VA “treatment team” concept includes the doctor, nurse, social worker, dietitian, pharmacist, chaplain, therapist, or any other professional involved in your treatment or care.

When You Have Talked To Your VA Treatment Team But Aren’t Satisfied

This is the stage where the VA Patient Advocacy Program comes into play. Once you have tried to resolve your issue at a lower level, if you aren’t happy with the results you can request to speak to the Patient Advocate at that facility. The VA official site says these Patient Advocates are employees “specifically designated at each VHA facility to manage the feedback received from veterans, family members, and friends.”

VA Patient Advocates work directly with management and staff at VA health care sites to find a solution to the concerns brought before them. Part of your discussion with these advocates may involve a referral to medical center staff to further discuss the issue.


After Meeting With A VA Patient Advocate: Surveys And Patient Rights

The Department of Veterans Affairs may choose to contact all who choose to meet with a VA Patient advocate in order to get feedback about the experience. You may get a questionnaire by regular mail sent by the VA Office of Quality and Performance asking you to rate your level of satisfaction with your most recent VA healthcare experience (inpatient or otherwise).

According to the VA official site, these surveys are meant to “help VA identify opportunities for improvement and to note positive trends — locally, regionally and nationally.” But with the surveys, the VA also recognizes the concerns over privacy and related issues.

In the same section of the VA official site that informs VA enrollees about these optional care survey forms, there is a reminder that for all stages of the VA healthcare process, “Employees must respect and support your rights as a patient.” Those who need assistance understanding or exercising their patient rights should ask the VA treatment team and/or the VA Patient Advocate for help.

Related Articles
VA Veterans Choice Program State Veteran’s Benefits
VA Homemaker & Health Aid Care VA Policy on Veterans & Medical Marijuana
VA Caregiver Support Program VA Decision Ready Claims (DRC) Program

Military + Veteran Discounts

Want 30+ Mil/Vet discounts to use today? Enter your email for updates and we'll send it!
Name(Required)

VA Home Loans

Popular Articles

2022 VA Disability Rates

2022 Military Pay

Military Pay Calculator

VA Loan Calculator

2022 BAH Rates

Search Veteran.com

Military Benefits Logo

Company

  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Add a Discount
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Disclosure
  • Unsubscribe

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Military Discounts
  • Benefits
  • Housing & Ownership
  • Money & Finance
  • Employment
  • Education
  • Resources

Connect With Us

  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest
  • twitter
  • youtube
Copyright © 2022 Three Creeks Media, LLC

Veteran.com is a property of Three Creeks Media. Neither Veteran.com nor Three Creeks Media are associated with or endorsed by the U.S. Departments of Defense or Veterans Affairs. The content on Veteran.com is produced by Three Creeks Media, its partners, affiliates and contractors, any opinions or statements on Veteran.com should not be attributed to the Dept. of Veterans Affairs , the Dept. of Defense or any governmental entity. If you have questions about Veteran programs offered through or by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, please visit their website at va.gov. The content offered on Veteran.com is for general informational purposes only and may not be relevant to any consumer’s specific situation, this content should not be construed as legal or financial advice. If you have questions of a specific nature consider consulting a financial professional, accountant or attorney to discuss. References to third-party products, rates and offers may change without notice.

Advertising Notice: Veteran.com and Three Creeks Media, its parent and affiliate companies, may receive compensation through advertising placements on Veteran.com; For any rankings or lists on this site, Veteran.com may receive compensation from the companies being ranked and this compensation may affect how, where and in what order products and companies appear in the rankings and lists. If a ranking or list has a company noted to be a “partner” the indicated company is a corporate affiliate of Veteran.com. No tables, rankings or lists are fully comprehensive and do not include all companies or available products.

Editorial Disclosure: Editorial content on Veteran.com may include opinions. Any opinions are those of the author alone, and not those of an advertiser to the site nor of Veteran.com.