VA Profile allows Veterans to update contact information on VA systems

VA is empowering Veterans to manage their information through a simplified, personalized experience on VA.gov, called VA Profile. Once signed into the VA.gov website, Veterans can view, update and change their contact information, such as phone number, email, home and mailing address.

VA Profile updates VA databases across the network, which removes the burden from Veterans calling multiple VA administrations with the same information, at times impacting delivery of services.  

VA Profile improves VA systems by synchronizing and sharing Veteran data across the VA enterprise, giving VA customers control, visibility and ownership of their information. In turn, employees have the up-to-date information they need to personalize interactions and provide excellent customer service. 

More than 7.5 million Veteran contact information profiles have been created or updated since May 2018, and more than 700,000 of those updates were made online through VA.gov. 

When VA has the most up to date information, it updates near-real-time access to critical Veteran data systems to support healthcare activities, including prescription refills, appointment reminders, lab and test results, and other important communications from their VA medical center.

It also actively synchronizes VBA contact information for disability compensation, pension, claims and appeals, enrollment, and Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E).

VA Profile reaches out to Veterans in multiple ways

VA Profile is part of a Veteran’s journey from the very early stages of their interaction with VA. VA Profile helps establish profile information for transitioning service members so that VA is ready to serve them from day one of their new Veteran life. In partnership with the DoD, VA launched the VA Solid Start program where military and contact information is used to proactively assist Veterans to receive VA benefits and services around 90, 180 and 365 days post-separation.  

VA Profile information also helps serve Veterans and Non-Veterans during times of emergencies. At the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic, VA sent out a total of over 36 million text messages to more than 9 million Veterans with timely information and resources about VA’s services and support.  

VA Profile has made wider outreach possible for research opportunities, too. For example, it enabled VA to quickly contact more than 300,000 women Veterans to gather information on topics most meaningful to them.   

What information is synchronized?

VA Profile provides a single source of truth for Veteran data across all VA systems. It synchronizes name, phone/email, address, military personnel data, awards, disability ratings, health benefits and other demographic information. VA Profile began sharing contact, health plans, and benefits information to assist community partners through the health information exchange, contributed to the new Electronic Health Record system and centralized scheduling solution. 

Providers and Veterans can communicate securely about mental health assessments through the MyHealth Checkup Mobile app that leverages VA Profile phone numbers and emails.  

VA Profile innovations efforts are planned to collect insurance, loans and education data, interaction history, communication preferences, information about persons associated with the Veteran (non–Veterans), such as spouse, dependents, beneficiaries, power of attorney, fiduciary, caregivers, Veteran service organizations, and crisis indicators (pandemic, natural disaster, homelessness) for outreach, determination of benefits eligibility, and other services. 

Improving Veterans Experience

VA Profile is the ‘behind the scenes wiring’ connecting systems and serving data to improve Veteran experiences. Veterans will be able to choose how they would like VA to communicate with them. VA profile is committed to providing valuable benefits and service to our Veterans by reducing address errors and increasing data quality, which improves timely and accurate delivery of important information to Veterans, their families, caregivers and their survivors. 

Ted Wong is a Marine Veteran in VA’s Veterans Experience Office.