Name
#200 Veteran Primary Care Physician Enrollment Program
Speakers
Content Presented On Behalf Of:
VHA/VA
Services/Agencies represented
Veterans Health Administration/Veterans Affairs (VHA/VA)
Session Type
Poster
Date
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Start Time
5:00 PM
End Time
7:00 PM
Location
Prince Georges Expo Hall E
Focus Areas/Topics
Clinical Care
Learning Outcomes
Share the number of Veterans that have been assigned Primary Care Physician (PCP).
Explain the quality of care and benefits each Veteran received by having a PCP.
Share the cost benefits the facility gains with assigning each veteran a PCP.
Explain the quality of care and benefits each Veteran received by having a PCP.
Share the cost benefits the facility gains with assigning each veteran a PCP.
Session Currently Live
Description
The Lieutenant Colonel Luke Weathers Jr. Memphis VA Medical Center serves over 196,000 veterans from West Tennessee, East Arkansas, and North Mississippi, employing more than 2000 staff and providing over 150 inpatient and residential beds. Classified as a Clinical Referral Level I facility, it offers a comprehensive range of outpatient and inpatient services. A significant issue is that not all veterans have an assigned primary care physician (PCP), leading to high-risk admissions through the Emergency Room. This lack of continuity results in increased risks such as infections, medical errors, deconditioning, higher mortality, elevated patient burdens, and increased healthcare costs. According to a national study, in FY 2019, 600,000 out of over 6 million VHA beneficiaries lacked a PCP, with similar trends observed from FYs 2016-2018 (Gao et al., 2021). The objective is to ensure 80-100% of eligible veterans at the Lieutenant Colonel Luke Weathers Jr. Memphis VA Medical Center are assigned a permanent VHA PCP or VA-approved community PCP within a specified timeframe, aiming to improve health outcomes and reduce readmission risks.