Attachment 1: Emergent Virtual Face-to-Face Network Requirements

Department of Veterans Affairs
Request for Information
Emergent Virtual Face-to-Face (VF2F) Network

1.0 Purpose

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is conducting market research to identify innovative solutions from qualified industry partners for the design, implementation, and/or operation of a comprehensive virtual emergent and urgent care network, and/or its modular components.

2.0 Strategic Vision

VHA envisions a next generation national emergent Virtual “Face-to-Face” (VF2F) care model, potentially serving over 6 million enrollees who seek acute, unscheduled, urgent or emergent care. This program will provide an option to choose on-demand virtual care to meet Veterans where they live. The model will aid staff in determining which Veterans can be served safely and effectively in a virtual setting and which Veterans need acute in-person care. This will expand options for Veterans who are located in rural or highly rural areas or prefer to receive care at home. Additionally, this capability will help reduce the number of low-acuity, in-person emergency care visits, which increase emergency room crowding and wait times for higher-acuity patients and drive increased health care costs1.
While VHA is open to a comprehensive solution, this RFI takes a modular approach to identify the best options on the market. VHA welcomes submissions from vendors who can meet a subset of requirements. The ideal solution encompasses the entire Veteran virtual emergency care journey. It begins when a Veteran first contacts VHA, through intake, emergent triage, and Veteran registration, into a virtual visit if clinical staff deem it appropriate. It includes capturing patient history and conducting virtual exams, as well as charting, imaging and laboratory order placement, e-prescribing, discharge, and after-visit acute follow up and care coordination as needed. The solution should also support warm hand-offs of Veterans with emergent/urgent health concerns throughout their virtual care journey, facilitate real time collaboration and communication among clinical staff during a patient encounter, and provide care coordination support with the Veteran’s primary care physician and the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) in a VHA facility or community care. Solutions should leverage artificial intelligence, software platforms, home-based diagnostics, communication tools, and other innovative features. The virtual emergency Face-to-Face network will provide Veterans located anywhere in