The Defense Health Agency https://www.health.mil is developing the Virtual Education Center (VEC), a web-based library and communications platform enabling providers and patients to access, store, and use vetted Military Health Services resources.
The VEC prototype system will be tested and integrated with MHS GENESIS, the DOD’s new EHR. With the VEC, providers and patients will be able to customize personal digital dashboards that are secure and can be used wherever the military is stationed or located.
The dashboards enable sharing written, audio, visual, and interactive educational materials in ways that work best for providers and patients alike. The system should increase provider efficiency, decease meeting times and unnecessary visits, and reduce readmission and other adverse outcomes related to common diseases.
Using the VEC is easy to use. When it is necessary to share materials with a patient, providers can go to their VEC dashboard, click on the materials to share, then enter the patient’s email or phone numbers, and click send.
The patient gets the email or text message on their device and then opens a link to access the materials on their dashboard. The system sends reminders to alert the patient on the new messages and then notifies the physician when the material has been read.
Patients will be able to search the VEC resources, save them to their own folders, and easily share information with their families and caregivers. All of the VEC’s capabilities will encourage patient to proactively engage in their own care.