| As a veteran, what should I
know about In-Person Authentication? Q: What is
In-Person Authentication?
A: In-Person Authentication (IPA) is a
process to verify one's identity, in person, by a qualified VA staff member.
Q: Do I have to be In-Person Authenticated each time I want to
see my personal health information?
A: No. Most veterans will be authenticated
only one time. Occasionally, a VA patient's authentication status could change, whereupon
the veteran will be notified and may have to repeat the process to regain access.
Q: What will In-Person Authentication allow me to do?
A: Once your identity has been verified
through the In-Person Authentication process, you will have access to portions of your
electronic medical information online through your personal MHV account. Initially,
prescription names for Rx Refill are available. Later, the ability to see appointments,
lab reports, and additional functions will be available.
Q: What must I do to be In-Person Authenticated?
A: My HealtheVet
security requires that you verify your identity in person. Go to the MHV Home page, click
on the VA Facility Locator link (VA Facility Locator) above the Home menu bar and search
for a VA facility close to you (or use this link Directory
Guide Click Here.Then call the facility and ask where you can be In-Person
Authenticated, as each facility has its own process.
Either before you go to the facility or at
the facility, view the MHV Orientation Video (or read the Video Transcript) and take the signed VA Form 10-5345a-MHV, VA Form 10-5345a-MHV , along with a valid government issued photo
identification card to a VA staff member assigned to handle authentication.
Q: What could prevent the In-Person Authentication process
from being completed?
A: First, verify that your required
personal information is entered correctly.Then, verify that you meet the following
criteria to be In-Person Authenticated:
- "VA patient" must be checked on
the MHV registration/profile online form.
- Your First Name, Last Name, Birth Date and
Social Security Number must be entered exactly as they are in your VA electronic record.
Your Veterans Identification Card (VIC) has this information.
If you have verified the above and still
have a problem, then request that a VA staff person verify your MHV account. Some veterans
have two VA records; in this case, ask a VA staff person to merge the two records into
one. Or, use the Contact Us link for Help Desk support.
In some cases, your provider must be consulted prior to granting access to your medical
information online, and there may be a delay in completing the In-Person Authentication
process.
Q: When can I see my prescription names?
A: Prescription names are available to all
VA patients through their MHV account right after they are In-Person Authenticated.
Q: Is my information secure?
A: Yes. All information placed in your My
HealtheVet account becomes part of your Personal Health Record.
It is not distributed, shared or viewed by the VA, and all privacy and security
information listed in the My HealtheVet Website Terms and
Conditions apply.
Remember that you also have a responsibility to keep your health information safe.
Learn more about In Person Authentication Click Here
Research Data: VA and DoD Sharing Medical Histories
Research Data: VA Benefits Health
Research Data: Mental Health
March
12, 2007
Mental Health Woes Afflict Almost a Third of Iraq, Afghan Vets
MONDAY, March 12 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly a third of U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq
and Afghanistan between 2001 and 2005 are being diagnosed with at least one mental health
problem when seeking care at Veterans Administration hospitals, University of California,
San Francisco, researchers report.
"Twenty-five percent of veterans who were new users of the VA health care system had
a mental health diagnosis," said lead researcher Dr. Karen H. Seal, from the San
Francisco Veterans Administration Medical Center. "When you include psychosocial
behavioral problems, 31 percent had a psychosocial or mental health diagnosis," she
said.
Seal is concerned that the number of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan with mental
problems is higher than in other wars. "I am surprised by the high prevalence and
what may be an upward trend." she said.
Earlier reports have already spotted high rates of substance abuse, post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) and other mental health problems in soldiers returning from Iraq and
Afghanistan. A study released late February from Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
found that slightly more than 19 percent of Iraqi vets met the criteria for a mental
health concern, as did more than 11 percent of those returning from Afghanistan.
The new study, which shows even higher numbers, is being released at a time when the
military and the VA have been under continuing criticism for their inability to provide
adequate care for returning soldiers. These concerns have led to Congressional inquires
and the appointment of a presidential commission to investigate both military and VA
health care.
The report is published in the March 12 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
In the study, Seal and colleagues collected data on almost 104,000 veterans. Of these,
about 13 percent were women, 54 percent were younger than age 30, and close to one-third
were minorities. Almost half were in the National Guard or Reserves rather than full-time
military.
The researchers found that 31 percent of the patients received mental health and/or
psychosocial diagnoses. For the 25 percent who received a diagnosis of a mental health
disorder, more than half (56 percent) had two or more mental conditions diagnosed. PTSD
was the most common diagnosis. It accounted for 52 percent of all those who were diagnosed
with a mental problem and 13 percent of all the veterans in the study.
"This new generation of veterans will be challenging to treat, because they have
co-occurring mental health disorders," Seal said.
She noted that most mental health problems were identified during visits with primary care
doctors, not with mental health professionals. "We found that most of these diagnoses
occurred in primary care settings," Seal said.
Because primary care doctors are not trained mental health professionals, Seal thinks that
there are many more veterans who may have undiagnosed mental health problems, further
increasing the total number of affected veterans.
To deal with the problem, the VA is spending money to integrate mental health care into
primary care. "The VA is really stepping up to the plate," she said.
However, many patients who do receive a diagnosis of a mental health problem do not seek
further help, Seal said.
"Most of the patients went on to a mental health clinic, where the diagnosis was
confirmed," Seal said. "But 40 percent did not seek further mental health care
-- that was concerning," she said. This may be because the stigma of having a mental
health problem is especially strong within the military, she said.
In addition, most of the burden of mental health woes fell on the youngest veterans, Seal
said. "The youngest group of veterans -- 18-to-24-year-olds returning from Iraq and
Afghanistan -- were at the highest risk for having a mental health diagnosis or a PTSD
diagnosis," she said. "The highest prevalence of mental health diagnosis were in
the youngest group of active-duty veterans," she added.
Seal believes that the youngest veterans were most affected, because they saw the most
combat. "Combat exposure directly correlates with the development of PTSD and other
mental health diagnoses," she said.
"The numbers are staggering," noted Simon Rego, an associate director of
psychology training at Montefiore Medical Center and assistant professor of psychiatry and
behavioral sciences at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York City.
The prevalence of PTSD among these veterans is roughly the same as it was for Vietnam
veterans, Rego said, "but if you look at the prevalence of PTSD in the general
population -- it's about 3.5 percent -- this is a bubble coming our way."
Because most patients were diagnosed by primary care doctors, Rego believes that many of
these physicians will need better training to spot veterans at risk. "We have to do
our best to educate the primary care doctors that these patients could come to you first,
and you should look for the symptoms of PTSD or other mental health disorders and refer
patients for specialty care," he said.
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