The Department of Veterans Affairs is amending a department rule to remove a restriction on sharing of information about treatment for certain types of medical conditions with the Defense Department.
The VA says the rule change will make it easier for the VA and Pentagon to exchange information on treatments for drug abuse, alcoholism or alcohol abuse, HIV status, and sickle cell anemia.
“VA and DOD clinicians must have the most accurate and comprehensive data available to ensure they provide the highest quality care possible. We have discovered that, particularly in this age of electronic health records, this regulatory restriction created an impediment to maximizing this exchange of information,†said Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki.
