The Veteran Interoperability Pledge (VIP) program works toward developing a framework to allow the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and community providers to securely exchange information to assist in the care of Veterans receiving treatment inside and outside the VA.

What is the Pledge?

To honor America’s Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being, health care stakeholders pledge to collaborate with the Department of Veterans Affairs in advancing technologies that improve care coordination and efficiency of care for Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors—supporting programs such as the Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022 and the Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care, and Treatment (COMPACT) Act of 2020.

Where are we now?

VIP has advanced from a symbolic partnership to operational movement, emphasizing implementation, measurable outcomes, and collaboration.

Future work focuses on the following strategic goals:

• Activate Community of Practice (CoPs): Launch solution-driven communities to design, test and standardize interoperable workflows, technologies, and policies.
• Empower Adopters: Lead organizations act as catalysts that bring members together to turn shared priorities into real, operational outcomes.
• Expand Participation and Recruitment: Invite a broader set of organizations into a growing, high-value community, where new members can easily engage, find alignment with priorities, and contribute to meaningful, real-world outcomes alongside established leaders.
• Enhance Transparency and Communication: Foster open, consistent communication that keeps all members informed, aligned and engaged, creating a transparent environment where progress is visible, insights are shared freely, and organizations can contribute to and benefit from the Community’s collective work.

Community of Practice (CoP)

The VIP Community of Practice brings together healthcare organizations committed to the Veteran Interoperability Pledge and works collaboratively to improve Veteran health care through seamless data exchange and system integration. More information about the CoP and its workgroups can be found here: https://www.tgtgllc.com/vip-cop.

What CoP Members Value

The CoP members have a unique opportunity to shape the future of Veteran interoperability by influencing the standards, workflows, and recommendations that determine how Veterans are recognized and served across VA and community care settings. Members bring clinical, technical, policy, and operational perspectives to a forum where VA hears and considers them.

CoP members gain strategic value for their organization:

• Collaborating with cross-sector peers: Work alongside health system leaders, EHR developers, payers, academic researchers, and federal partners in a neutral, vendor-agnostic setting focused on shared outcomes.
• Bringing domain expertise to the table: Members share clinical workflows, technical constraints, and operational realities that no single organization, including VA, can fully see on its own
• Accessing shared knowledge: Members contribute to and draw from a growing library of best practices, lessons learned, and workflow documentation built collectively across the CoP.
• Staying current on VA interoperability priorities: Members receive direct insight into VA’s digital health direction, and the interoperability priorities shaping community care requirements.
• Demonstrating commitment to Veteran care: Participation signals to partners, patients, and the broader health care community that your organization is actively invested in improving care for Veterans.

Members consistently find the most value through workgroup participation, where detailed problem-solving and peer exchange occur.

Technology Partners

In early 2024, Epic and Oracle Health demonstrated the ability for their customers to access VA’s . Participating health system and hospitals are able to identify Veterans in their care, opening the door to care and benefits for potentially millions of Veterans. Health systems are encouraged to evaluate the API and determine the most effective fit within their existing EHR workflows and operational priorities.

Currently 27 health systems enable the API in production and verified over 1.5 million confirmed Veteran status. Participating health system and hospitals are able to identify Veterans in their care, opening the door to care and benefits for potentially millions of Veterans. Health systems are encouraged to evaluate the API and determine the most effective fit within their existing EHR workflows and operational priorities. Currently 27 health systems enable the API in production and verified over 1.5 million confirmed Veteran status.