Rural veterans women's health program

1. Background: VA historically and primarily served male Veterans. In recent years, women have served in greater numbers and there has been a subsequent increase in the number of female Veterans seeking care from VA.

2. Objective: The Women Veterans Health Program in rural areas of the Capitol Health Care Network demonstrates how to improve access and quality of care in rural areas through an evidence-based rural outreach program.

3. Methods: The program assessed the health needs of rural women Veterans and the specific challenges presented in rural communities based upon available VA enrollment and utilization data, CBOC site visits, and qualitative interviews. The program provided recommendations for the development of an evidence-based rural outreach program aimed at increasing enrollment and service utilization of rural women Veterans. The project team conducted a needs assessment, designed a competency based health professional training program, and developed a health education series.

4. Results: Results indicate that rural women Veterans encounter challenges in finding women's health services information; affordable and reliable transportation; convenient appointments and timely follow-up; family-friendly amenities; adequate auditory/visual privacy; and gender-specific services provided by qualified women's health providers.

5. Discussion: Based on initial assessment findings, the project team developed six distinct recommendations to improve access and quality of care: expand and improve quality of health services; increase outreach efforts to rural women Veterans; develop more robust analytical methods; develop women's health specific training programs; foster collaborative and sustainable local relationships; and explore complementary and alternative medicine options for rural women Veterans.