The Veterans Health Administration has a few areas where work processes can be improved or automated. One area that would be a good candidate for increased automation would be the appointment scheduling system. The VA has had many public issues with scheduling patient appointments, and we also have a very high patient appointment cancellation and no-show rate. An increasing number of veterans are comfortable using computers, so an online self-scheduling and cancellation program could be very beneficial in reducing the number of no-show appointments and allowing the VA to see a greater number of veterans through improved utilization of current providers and care spaces. A more automated system with increased patient involvement may also help
