You probably know that Veterans Disability claims take forever – years in some cases – and that there has been outcry from various groups all over the country for the VA to get better (and faster) at processing claims. And if you’ve been paying attention to my blogs and videos, you may even know that this year the Department of Defense and the VA finally got their act together and enabled the VA to access Veterans electronic medical records from a central database. This means that, rather than having to request information piecemeal from each individual doctor and wait for the information to be sent to them, it’s now possible for them to simply log in and see everything they need.
There are drawbacks, of course, but it’s still a big step in the right direction, so it’s important that we take a look at how the system actually works.
What Is HAIM and What Does It Do?
HAIM is the acronym for Health Artifact and Image Management System, the Defense Department’s electronic medical records database. Since it went online in January of this year, Veterans Affairs officials have been able to access it to see the records of Veterans who are applying for disability benefits. Naturally, though, it’s not quite that simple or straightforward.
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Who does HAIM include? One of the biggest drawbacks of HAIM is that this system only includes Vets who have retired or otherwise ended their relationship with the military since January 2014. Essentially, this means that while it’s potentially going to be a big help for future Vets, it still does little to help most of those currently trying to get help.
What can be found on HAIM? The system not only includes electronic data from the medical records, but also allows VA officials to access paper medical documents that have been scanned and input into the system. These documents can include civilian medical records, but that isn’t always the case.
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While there’s obviously a lot that still needs to be done to improve the claims process, as an experienced Veterans Disability lawyer I can tell you that this is definitely a step in the right direction going forward. But the only reason it happened is that so many outside sources were putting pressure on the VA to improve. To learn more about the veterans claims process and how you can make it better and cut through the confusing clutter, read our free Veterans Disability eBook and stay tuned for ongoing updates.
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