VA’s clinical contact centers: Almost 41 million calls

VA’s clinical contact centers answered nearly 41 million calls in FY21.

The top three reasons customers called the clinical contact centers were for refills/pharmacy consults, appointment scheduling and triage of symptoms.

Providing access to telephone care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (24/7) is a VA Health Care service standard. We provide telephone care service in an effort to continuously improve the service we provide Veterans.

Telephone service for clinical care is provided by VHA staff using the telephone for management of appointments, pharmacy issues, health care information, health care advice, patient education, and other concerns related to the clinical care being provided to the Veteran patient.

Digital services through single platform

The President’s Management Agenda charged the VA Secretary with providing digital services through a single, integrated and equitable digital platform on VA.gov and the VA mobile app.

We also provide on-demand customer support through the channels that work best for our customers, including personalized online chat with a virtual or live agent.

VA is working to improve customer experience technology capabilities by designing, developing and delivering meaningful experiences across multiple communication channels, such as virtual agent and chat functionalities.

VA is currently in the process of modernizing its contact center operations with updated telephone platform and software tools.

Simplified website and official mobile app

In addition, VA is enhancing and centralizing convenient digital, self-service access where Veterans can easily find information on VA care, benefits and services and apply for them through a simplified VA.gov website and the official VA mobile app.

VA measures the Veteran’s experience with the contact centers. This provides insights we use to improve service delivery.

MyVA411 (1-800-MyVA411) is a national, toll-free number that serves as a “front door” to VA. It offers the simplicity of a single number to call when you don’t know who to call. It provides information on VA care, benefits and services.

Building, learning, growing

MyVA411 callers have the ability to be immediately connected with a customer service agent. The agent can answer any questions or provide a connection to the appropriate VA expert. It is available 24 hours-a-day, 365 days-a-year to serve Veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors.

The Veteran’s experience with VA contact centers is a top priority. We are using research to help us test additional tools, such as chat and virtual agent functionalities.

We are building, learning, growing and repeating based on new information. This fiscal year we will review where we are headed. We’ll make the necessary adjustment to improve the Veteran experience across all VA contact centers.