PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa., June 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — ECRI, one of the foremost independent healthcare and patient safety nonprofits, launched the SALUTE™ Program to improve healthcare for veterans and address disparities in care that veterans may experience from provider-to-provider. ECRI launched the free SALUTE Program to help healthcare providers care for veteran patients. Only about half of the approximately 19 million US veterans were enrolled in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare in 2021, according to a National Health Statistics report. Many veterans instead turn to civilian healthcare providers who are less reliably equipped to address military-related health concerns, according to ECRI’s patient safety experts. Veterans who receive healthcare outside the VA may be at higher risk of delayed diagnosis for a serious physical or mental illness. Veterans who served in the military after 9/11 use VA healthcare less than other veterans and are even more at risk.
SALUTE is designed to bridge that gap and help foster connections between veterans and their healthcare providers.
"As a veteran who spent decades as a registered nurse, I’ve seen how difficult it can be to navigate the healthcare system and receive consistent, quality care that addresses veterans’ unique health risks," said Shannon Davila, MSN, RN, CPPS, CPHQ, CIC, FAPIC, Executive Director of ECRI’s Total Systems Safety. "Clinicians don’t always know which of their patients are veterans; and many veterans who seek care outside the VA don’t share their veteran status and deployment history with their healthcare provider. That’s a critical first step in ensuring our veterans get the care they need."
One in five veterans have been seriously injured during their military service, according to a Pew research study. The PACT Act requires VA health providers to conduct regular toxic exposure screenings for every veteran enrolled in VA healthcare, but it does not apply to civilian healthcare providers.
"Without resources tailored to veterans’ experiences and health risks, even the best-intentioned clinician could miss a diagnosis or treatment that could be life-changing," added Davila. "This disparity in the standard of veteran-competent care affects millions of veterans today."
"Our veterans have made tremendous sacrifices, and it is our […]
SALUTE Program launched to address disparities in veteran healthcare
