VA, IHS sign 2 agreements during SW Tribal Relations Summit

OKLAHOMA CITY – VA and Indian Health Services (IHS) recently signed two agreements regarding healthcare employment and delivery among Native Americans during the Southwest Tribal Relations Training Summit that took place July 24-26.

The Nurses Training Agreement, allowing IHS nurses (RNs) to train and work alongside Oklahoma City VA Medical Center nursing staff, was signed by Rear Admiral Kevin Meeks, Indian Health Service area director, and Adam Walmus, director, Oklahoma City VA Medical Center."IHS was having difficulty placing nurses in positions due to unavailability of vacant places," said Walmus.  "By signing this agreement with Oklahoma City VA Medical Center, IHS’ nursing staff can initially be placed with a VA nurse preceptor for a few months and then be  placed on a unit to work full-time as a VA employee."


The goal of the agreement was to provide novice nurses with the opportunity to master higher level nursing procedures and specialized training by placing them in a tertiary medical center which had the patient volume to support their learning needs. Upon completion, the nurses will return to IHS to fill staff nurse positions in their hospitals.

"This is a win-win for both agencies, said Walmus.  "IHS nursing staff will continue to maintain and keep their skills current and up-to-date, and the VA receives knowledgeable nursing staff to assist and aide their own nursing staff." 
 
The Indian Health Service Consultation Agreement, second agreement signed off on during the three-day summit, allows a physician from the Clinton Indian Clinic in Clinton, Okla. to have direct consults with the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center via VA’s computerized patient records system in such areas as requesting blood cultures, x-rays, labs, etc.


"Because Clinton is in a rural area, with a high American Indian population, this is a win-win for the patient," said Meeks.  The Veteran patient can continue to see his primary care physician at the Clinton Indian Health Service Clinic, who can in turn now work directly with VA specialty doctors, requesting appointments and assistance with the American Indian patient they both provide a service too." said Meeks.

In addition, if the patient is referred by the IHS clinic to go the VA, he/she will no longer have to start the process over within the VA system. "It should be seamless," said Meeks.


In January 2011, VA announced the creation of a new Office of Tribal Government Relations to ensure the more than 200,000 Veterans who are American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians receive the VA benefits they have earned.  Although VA has long provided benefits to Veterans in tribal lands, the new office will further strengthen and expand that relationship.