PREPARe Redefines Care for Veterans
While VA provides maternity care benefits to enrolled Veterans of reproductive age, most services are provided in non-VA facilities. As a result, there can be gaps in the education and training provided to Veterans regarding their perinatal and reproductive physical and emotional well-being.
To answer this need, Melissa Tran, a licensed marriage and family therapist and military sexual trauma coordinator at the Orlando VA Health Care System, created the Perinatal Reproductive Education Planning and Resources (PREPARe) program. The idea was born out of her own experience while navigating her pregnancy and being separated from her larger support network.
Changing the Landscape of Perinatal Care
“I knew I couldn’t be the only one who felt lost navigating my pregnancy and postpartum period, so it became part of my mission to make sure that perinatal services, education, and support are readily available to everyone across our health care system,” said Tran.
The PREPARe program is a multi-disciplinary approach to health care that offers a wide array of services promoting reproductive health for Veterans in-house by trained VA specialists. The program brings together specialists, including lactation counselors, chaplain care, mental health medication prescribers, mental health therapists, whole health coaches, physical therapists, and dietician nutritionists to provide valuable wraparound services to Veterans.
Collaboration and mentorship with the New England Center for Innovation Excellence (NECIE) has been instrumental in nurturing ideas for growth and expansion of PREPARe to more VHA healthcare settings. Support from the NECIE team and leadership with the Center for Women Veterans has fostered relationships focused on continuing innovative care for Veterans of reproductive age.
The PREPARe program has received over 380 consults and offers services in person as well as via telehealth, helping Veterans get care where distance or travel might be a concern. So far, the PREPARe program has resulted in improved coordination of services, increased availability of infertility and maternity loss support, and decreased patient calls related to reimbursement.
Providing Reproductive Services for Veterans on a National Scale
To continue her efforts to expand the PREPARe program on a national scale, Tran was named a 2022 VHA Senior Innovation Fellow. The VHA Innovation Fellowship Program is an opportunity for emerging leaders with presence, passion, and vision to gain the experience and skills necessary to make a positive contribution.
Since launch, the PREPARe program has tripled in size and has expanded services to include grief and loss support to parents that have experienced a stillbirth, miscarriage, or infant death. It also offers pelvic health education for pregnancy and postnatal physical therapy. Nurses and dieticians are helping Veterans learn to breastfeed, inviting patients’ spouses into nutrition and counseling courses, and fostering a supportive community for Veterans.
Tran has also been busy working to spread the PREPARe program to other VA facilities. The team has consulted with more than 15 sites and entire Veterans Integrated Services Networks (VISNs) with hopes to implement PREPARe in every VA across the nation.
Get Involved in Innovation
You can learn more about the PREPARe program on its Diffusion Marketplace page.
Want to learn more about innovation at VA? Visit our website to learn more about opportunities for involvement in innovation at VA.
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