Last updated
Medical Companion Program
Share PrintThe Medical Companion Program seeks to provide caregiver services in lieu of hospitalization to those Veterans who do not have a responsible adult available. By doing so, it provides increased access to care by addressing a psychosocial barrier while at the same time, demonstrating a significant cost savings to the government.
Origin:
June 2019, Edward Hines Junior Hospital
Adoptions:
1 in-progress, 1 unsuccessful
Partners:
Care Management and Social Work Services, Community Engagement, Hospital Medicine
Recent Updates
Overview
Problem
Solution
Results
- FY 2021 data review Medical Companion Program FY 2021 Data
- Preliminary data for FY 2022 Medical Companion Program FY 2022 Preliminary Data
Files
Metrics
- Number of Veterans who utilized MCP services to facilitate their outpatient procedures (FY 21)-150
- Cost savings to the government (FY 21): $395,000.00
- Average reduction in average Veteran cost (FY 21): 88%
- Number of Veterans who utilized MCP services to facilitate their outpatient procedures (FY 22 Quarters 1&2): 102
- Cost savings to the government (FY 22 Quarters 1&2): $265,000.00
- Average reduction in average Veteran cost ( FY 22 Quarters 1&2): 86%
- Program cost (FY 21): $55,227.00
- Program costs (FY 22 Quarters 1&2): $$41,322.00
Diffusion tracker
Does not include Clinical Resource Hubs (CRH)
Implementation
Timeline
-
2 weeks
Identification of a funding source and allocating funds accordingly (disclaimer--this step would be necessary absent any national directive allocating a funding source) -
2 weeks
Identify team members that will work together to implement the practice (to include, but not limited to: Social work, Utilization Management, Fiscal Service (if necessary), Office of Community Care (if necessary), Contracting representative (if necessary), Medicine Service, Surgery Service) -
1-3 months
Identify/onboard a MCP Coordinator (recommend a .5 FTE) -
1 month
Administrative tasks--develop a referral mechanism, tracking mechanism, data collection tool, SOP (absent national directive that supersedes the need), Fact Sheet, etc.. -
2 weeks
Staff education--educate staff and personnel about the Medical Companion Program, who might be eligible for the program, how to submit a referral, etc..
Departments
- Social work
- Gastroenterology
- Administration
- Internal medicine
- Outpatient surgery
Core Resources
Resource type | Resource description |
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PEOPLE |
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PROCESSES |
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TOOLS |
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Support Resources
Resource type | Resource description |
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PEOPLE |
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Risks and mitigations
Risk | Mitigation |
---|---|
Unknown national support for the Medical Companion Program | Implementing a team approach and soliciting support on the local level to operate a Medical Companion Program while at the same time, elevating the program through national initiatives when the opportunity is present. |
Contact
Comment
Comments and replies are disabled for retired innovations and non-VA users.
Email stephanie.sawin@va.gov with questions about this innovation.
About
Origin story
Original team
Stephanie Sawin
Social Worker and Medical Companion Program Coordinator
Jeanne Obrochta
Social Work Clinical Manager
Joseph Ader
Social Work Executive
Brad Hagen
Accounting Officer
Deborah Daniels
Utilization Management
Jualia Sims
Office of Community Care
Dr Sandy Reynertson
Acting Chief of Medicine
New Mexico has successfully implemented this program within our facility beginning in FY 21
Always great to connect with other sites who have already implemented it!
As a GI nurse navigator our team helped roll out this innovation ate our facility. (Jennifer Moreno Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 3350 La Jolla Village Drive San Diego, CA 92161)
We have been utilizing the medical companion program for about 2-3 years now.
Please add us to the Successful adoptions list !
Starting to think about how we can implement at the Washington, DC VA
Awesome! Would be so happy to chat with you about it if that would be helpful. If interested, feel free to shoot me a message and we can set something up!