VA will now have increased ability to provide materiel support to Veterans through a strategic partnership signed Aug. 12.
The agreement between VA and DoD’s Defense Logistics Agency allows better acquisition over medical and surgical items, cleaning supplies and equipment, construction materials and equipment, and other items.
This first step gives VA networks across the country increased access to DLA’s broader supply catalog; improving productivity and efficiency.
“The adoption of a single health care logistics system by VA and DOD highlights the commitment of both organizations to improve military and Veteran health care by increasing the access and quality of care they receive,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “This is a huge step forward in our efforts to transform VA into a modern, high-performing organization by simplifying operations and leveraging DOD’s supply chain system to support our Veterans.”
Centralized system
The agreement combines resources from VA and DOD to create a centralized ordering system for VA, reducing risk, waste, fraud and abuse in purchasing medical equipment and supplies.
The secretary said VA needs to be a part of the “national security continuum,” which extends from when a Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine or Coast Guardsman leaves for basic training to when they leave service. He added VA needs to be a partner to the military services to provide the best support to military members, who then become Veterans.
“VA must be a part of that integral equation,” Wilkie said. “With this, we are joined at the hip.”
Wilkie said the agreement will help reform ordering process to provide better care to “those who we are sworn to serve.”
The DLA director said the partnership will be value added for Veterans.
“This is all about our Veterans,” said Army Lt. Gen. Darrell K. Williams. “We are committed to your vision of greater materiel support to Veterans Affairs.”
In March, VA’s Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center became the pilot site for DLA’s Defense Medical Logistics Standard Support commodity ordering system.
For more information about DLA, visit https://www.dla.mil.
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The VA is definitely trying to get better with various issues. Still a long way to go though
Can this extend to the Foreign Medical Program (FMP), so that when a doctor recommends medical equipment and we pay on credit card to order it, that we are even more likely to be reimbursed by FMP?
Does this include a walking -over-the shoulder- oxygenator rather than a cumberson over weight unit?
The VA needs greater accountability from their personnel. This is not aimed at the hospitals and clinics. This is aimed at the internal workers, and if they do not like any thing about you, they just hang up. I was approved to sign up under the RAMP program. A retired Navy veteran with the DAV helped .me sign up.. After 45 days of waiting, I called the 800 number. I got a female representative and she looked up my case. She then said that she reviewed it, and felt that I did not qualify, and that she had put my request in with the general requests, and that my wait time would be approximately 458 days. I guess that this was just a good guess. I know that there a lot of veterans that need assistance, but those that have been waiting for a long time, mostly Vietnam veterans, how been pushed aside while those that have served after that era are getting the primary handling from the inside of the VA. Veterans are not always happy with the answers they receive, and ask to speak with a superior, with hopes of finding out more. The response they receive is the dial tone. There needs to something in place, so that the Veterans know who they are talking to, what Facility they are located with, and a way to rate the service that they received, or did not receive. This should include all points in the VA, including the Headguarters of the VA, the hospitals and clinics, with an external auditor, and problems and their locations announced. One would hope that they would take care of the problem areas and personnel. I hope that this is read by the leadership of all Veteran Organizations and backed by them, and also the VA.