VA Patients: Learn More about Upgrading Your My HealtheVet Account

Join the many Veterans who have an upgraded My HealtheVet account.  All it takes it completion of an In-Person Authentication (IPA) process.  As a security measure, IPA is a process used to verify a My HealtheVet user's identity.

This Upgraded Account allows VA patients to:

• order their VA refill medications by their medication names – not just the Rx numbers
• view their personalized VA Wellness Reminders
• participate in Secure Messaging to communicate with their health care team through My HealtheVet when available

Before In Person Authentication can occur, several requirements must be met:

• The user needs to be marked as a VA Patient when registering in My HealtheVet
  
• The user needs to view one of the four My HealtheVet Videos
  (either the 4 or 8 minute version)
• The user will need to read and sign the VA Release Form (PDF)
• The user will need to present a form of government issued photo identification to a qualified VA staff member at their VA facility to be physically proofed. 

For questions, ask for the My HealtheVet Coordinator at your VA.

VA medical facilities currently use a manual process to allow VA patients access to paper copies of their medical records. Completing the In-Person Authentication process is the first step in providing online access to copies of key portions of VA medical records. In the future, other portions of your VA electronic medical record will become accessible online through your My HealtheVet account as part of your Personal Health Record. Notices will be posted to our website as each portion of the medical record becomes available online.

How VA Pharmacists Help Veterans

Pharmacists are medication experts. They are skilled professionals who understand drugs. They are trained to know what makes up the different drugs, how they work and their effect on the patient. As a result, Pharmacists can:

• Tell you about the name of the medicine and what is it supposed to do
• Go over possible drug interactions or allergies
• Explain possible side effects
• Check to see if the information provided by your health care provider is complete
• Determine whether the medication and dosage are right for your health condition
• Make sure you understand the proper way to store and take your medication

Each of these steps is important to your health.

Most people see their pharmacist about three times as often as they do their primary care provider. Your pharmacist is the most accessible member of your health care team. Get to know your pharmacist and gain a valuable ally - one who will help you get the most from your medications.

VA Pharmacists work closely with your health care provider to make sure your medicine is working correctly. Tell your pharmacist if you are having side effects or if your medical problem is not getting better. You, your provider, nurse, and your pharmacist are a powerful team. They work together to make sure you get the best results from your treatment plan.

VA Pharmacists offer medication counseling. They make sure patients know about their medications. VA Clinical Pharmacists give expert advice on using medications to manage disease. They also help patients understand the implications of taking many different medications.

How VA Pharmacy's dispense medications has improved both patient outcomes and satisfaction. VA Pharmacy's have the ability to give emergency supplies to traveling Veterans. This allows ongoing care without the hassle of an appointment.

Medications are important and effective tools for treating illness and disease. With the number of medications available, the role of the pharmacist is important to help you manage your overall health care. The pharmacist is a key health care professional in helping you get the best results from your medications.

Veterans who receive their health care at a VA facility can request online refills of their VA medications. This can be done anytime, anywhere - as long as they have access to the Internet!

On My HealtheVet, Prescription Refill is the number one service that Veterans request. The Pharmacy Section on My Health eVet also offers VA patients with an upgraded account:

• Prescription Refill History
• Self-entered Medications, Herbals, Over the Counter Medications and Supplements
• My VA Medications List
• My Complete Medications List (VA and self-entered medications)

To use these tools, the first step is to register with My HealtheVet. Using the My HealtheVet Pharmacy and Track Health sections, Veterans can record and track health information including:

• Self-entered Medications, Herbals, Over the Counter Medications and Supplements
• Vital Signs (Blood Pressures, Weights, etc.)
• Food and activity journals
• Health history
• Family health history
• Military history

For VA patients who have completed the In Person Authentication process, upgraded features are included. Selected information from your VA Electronic Health Record will soon be available. This also will allow access to Secure Messaging.

Other features available to VA patients with an upgraded account include:

• VA prescription history including full medication names
• VA Wellness Reminders
• Secure Messaging

Pharmacists also play an essential role in the health of their communities.  They work in many different places such as:

• Community pharmacies
• Hospitals
• Long term care facilities
• The pharmaceutical industry
• Mail service
• Managed care
• Government
• Nuclear Pharmacy

Mental Health Resources

Considering Professional Help Tool

Considering Professional Help is an online tool using real experiences from Veterans. There are five common concerns that may stop you from getting help for your mental health. This tool helps you identify your concerns. It provides new ways of thinking about them. This tool shows you what to look for and where to find help. You will learn the benefits of getting mental health support from doctors, social workers, mental health staff, clergy, or other counselors. Your responses are confidential. You do not need to be registered with My HealtheVet to use this tool. To access this tool, go to the Mental Health section of My HealtheVet.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) administers the largest integrated mental health care system in the United States. Veterans can access a wide range of mental health services through residential treatment programs, integrated primary care clinics, community-based outpatient clinics, and Vet Centers. If you are interested in learning more about the common mental health issues facing Veterans and their families, and the various programs and services that VA offers to help address them, please visit www.mentalhealth.va.gov.