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VA's Online RX Refill Service the Right Prescription for Vets

Secretary Nicholson: Service is "Fast, Easy and Secure"

WASHINGTON (Nov. 23, 2005) - Tens of thousands of veterans are now
receiving their prescription drug refills from the Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) with greater convenience, speed and security,
thanks to a new service available to veterans over the Internet.

More than 70,000 prescriptions have been refilled using the latest
service added to VA's "MyHealtheVet," the personal online health record
system designed for veterans in the VA health care system. The
prescription refill service began on Aug. 31.

"VA's MyHealtheVet prescription refill service is proving to be
extremely successful in providing America's veterans with fast, easy and
secure access to their important medications," said the Honorable R.
James Nicholson, Secretary of Veterans Affairs. "Given the
overwhelmingly positive response VA has received to this initiative from
our veterans, we anticipate that thousands more veterans will choose to
take advantage of this convenient service."

The secure online prescription refill service has quickly emerged as one
of the more popular features in the MyHealtheVet system, which connects
with VA's widely respected electronic records system.

When a veteran orders a prescription refill, the request is routed to
VA's computer system to be filled by one of the department's outpatient
mail pharmacies. The refill is then sent directly to the veteran,
eliminating the need for a trip to the pharmacy and a wait in line.

On Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2005, MyHealtheVet marked its second
anniversary by adding three new health records that veterans can keep in
a secure electronic environment and make available to VA health
professionals nationwide - blood oxygen levels taken from a pulse
oximeter, daily food intake in the Food Journal, and physical activity
and exercise in the Activity Journal.

By last month, more than 100,000 veterans had signed up to use
MyHealtheVet, which is located on VA's Web site at www.myhealth.va.gov
.

Among the services available to veterans, their families and VA care
providers through the online personal record are the ability to track
health conditions - entering readings such as blood pressure and
cholesterol levels - and to record medications, allergies, military
health history, medical events and tests.

Veterans can also include personal information, such as emergency
contacts, names of medical providers and health insurance information.
They can access health information on the Internet from VA, MedlinePlus
from the National Library of Medicine, and Healthwise, a commercial
health education library.

Future expansion of MyHealtheVet will allow VA patients to view
appointments and co-payment balances, access portions of their medical
records, and give access to their records to doctors, family members and
others.