VA/DoW Health Affairs

VA/Dow Medical Sharing Office

Key Functions

• VA/DoW Resource Sharing Agreements
• VA/DoW Joint Market Opportunities
• Joint Incentive Fund (JIF)
• TRICARE Liaisons
• Policy Analysis

Overview

The VA/DoW Medical Sharing Office (MSO) serves to collaborate, facilitate, and sustain effective partnerships and mutually supportive relationships on all matters related to joint health care initiatives and activities between VHA and the Department of Defense (DoW), interacting principally with the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and TRICARE Health Plan.  The office serves as the primary VHA liaison for all VHA/DoW joint sharing initiatives.  MSO provides senior-level leadership and direction for the support and accomplishment of all healthcare related VHA/DoW JSP goals, objectives, strategies/milestones, and performance measures encompassing the use of medical resource sharing agreements.  Sharing agreements provide a written structure to exchange clinical and non-clinical resources between VA and DoW medical facilities and are established to support increased patient access to medical services, promote improved efficiency by reducing duplication of services, and encourage the sharing of medical facility space.  The MSO also has VA/TRICARE liaisons.

Functions and Activities

Provides policy guidance and oversight for sharing medical resources between VHA and DoW.

Evaluates opportunities for DoW/VHA sharing and tracks and assesses business metrics around sharing initiatives.

Serves as a bridge between VHA and DoW to improve communications and relationship management activities for DoW collaboration and sharing.

Joint development and oversight of a National VHA/DoW Resource Sharing Agreement for the sharing of healthcare resources.

VA’s TRICARE Liaisons engage in relationship management activities with DoW staff in the TRICARE Regional Offices by promoting DoW/VHA sharing, and act as points of contact for regional TRICARE issues, supporting VHA’s transition efforts for America’s Veterans and Servicemembers.
 
VA’s TRO Liaisons also enhance VA/DoW bi-directional communications through monthly training and on-line courses for VAMC and VISN staff on TRICARE referrals, authorizations and billing processes, and promote collaboration and sharing with DoW.

MSO ensures coordination of proposals submitted to the VA/DoW Health Care Sharing Incentive Fund (aka Joint Incentive Fund or JIF) Program; provides seed funds for innovative joint projects between VHA and DoW; makes project

Who Can I Contact For More Information?

Contact the MSO Group at: vhacoshaagr.vhacoshaagr@va.gov

MSO Dashboard