Teamwork makes the dream work: How we collaborate to help Veterans

When it comes to world-class patient care multidisciplinary teamwork, VA sets the bar higher every day. We always push ourselves to improve our facilities and expand our services, all while maintaining a vibrant, compassionate culture in which Veterans can heal.

Teamwork a way to change lives

Members of our team recently shared the story of Kenneth, a Navy Veteran who has been working with VA to overcome numerous challenges that he could not tackle on his own. Kenneth was homeless and battling drug and alcohol addictions when he turned to VA for assistance.

Taking advantage of benefits he had earned with his service, Kenneth entered a residential treatment program and has been working with VA to find a path to a better future. At the time he shared his story, Kenneth was 16 months sober, working a steady job and on the path to getting an apartment of his own.

“And I’m going to do whatever is told for me to do through VA,” Kenneth shared. “I’ve seen that it’s a success for me and there’s no use for me to deviate now in my life.”

A PACT for success

Kenneth’s story is not unheard of among Veterans, but what is unique is the way that his needs were addressed and his care was managed. At VA, we recognize that health care is not “one size fits all,” and any healing must take into consideration the different challenges individual Veterans face.

That’s why we have implemented Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) programs. PACTs place the Veteran at the center of the care process. From taking their information at the front desk to intake procedures to their first meeting with a primary care physician, Veterans become the focus of the PACT.

Then, after assessing a patient’s medical needs, the primary care doctor can consult with other specialists, pulling them in and making them part of the patient’s team. The result is a core value at VA: a patient-centered, patient-focused culture of teamwork dedicated to serving our Veterans.

For Kenneth, his situation required a unique combination of care: counseling for his drug and alcohol addiction, a social worker to help him navigate the HUD housing process, and even a dentist to help him get new teeth and improve his quality of life. Another Veteran may need different specialized care, but all of it comes under the pact we make with each Veteran.

A career that counts

Over 9 million Veterans count on us for quality health care, infused with a deep understanding of their complex needs and the challenges they face. Kenneth’s success story illustrates that careers at VA come in all shapes and sizes.

Whether you’re a clinical expert, like a physician or a nurse care manager, or a specialist with a particular focus like occupational therapy, it takes teamwork to provide the best care for Veterans. And when other services are needed to meet a Veteran’s needs, we’ll expand the pact and call on people who can help.

We start every day with a fresh commitment to making life better for the brave men and women who risk so much to protect our freedom and our country, because we believe it’s up to all of us to make sure Veterans can enjoy the health and happiness they deserve.

As Kenneth, our Navy Veteran, explained, “That is what VA is all about, helping the soldiers reintegrate back into society.”

Work at VA

Join a team that provides a uniquely rewarding opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those who served our country. At VA, we need your expertise to provide the best care available.

• LEARN more about our mission and our values.
• HEAR stories from VA employees in their own words.
• READ about our culture and values.
• SEARCH for your VA career at VACareers.va.gov.

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