Photo By Michael Fisch | U.S. Air Force Maj. Betsy Trahan meets with a patient virtually using My Military...... read more read more
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Good mental health is crucial for the well-being and readiness of our military force. My Military Health—the Defense Health Agency’s new care model—is changing how service members get mental health care by making the experience more convenient and user-friendly.
“My Military Health has rolled out to all Defense Health Agency military hospitals and clinics worldwide with significant potential to enhance patient convenience and expand access to care,” said Dr. Julie Freeman, DHA’s chief strategic innovation officer. “Virtual mental health care is just one of the options offered to patients.”
Studies show the great potential for virtual mental health care to improve access, reduce costs, and enhance patient engagement. Virtual mental health visits see greater adherence to follow through on care plans. Patients often feel like there is less stigma and greater confidentiality if they aren’t seen going to a mental health clinic.
Meet U.S. Air Force Maj. Betsy Trahan
Trahan, a clinical psychologist, works at the 96th Medical Group at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Eglin is one of five My Military Health venture sites that are testing new technologies and streamlining processes to enhance the overall patient experience. Trahan helps bring this system to life by working with experts from all military branches to make the program better.
Benefit 1: Getting Care Faster
My Military Health makes it easier for service members to get the help they need when they need it.
"We've seen big improvements in access to care at Eglin," Trahan said. “The program gives us more flexibility in how we deliver care and more creative ways to help patients.”
Trahan reported, “New patient appointments have increased by 61% since we started. Before, patients waited about 30 days for mental health care. Now, we can see them in just one week.”
For service members who need mental health care, this shorter wait can make a significant difference.
Benefit 2: Continuity of Care
Military life often means moving or deploying, which too often prevents patients from continuing treatment. My Military Health offers an option to keep care available no matter where service members are stationed.
“Patients can now see their provider when they want to,” said Trahan. She stressed how important it is for patients to “work with a provider who really knows them” and have “flexible options for getting care.”
This steady, consistent support from a team of available providers helps patients build trust in the system. Wherever they are, patients know they can find a provider who knows their history. This care also supports military readiness—the ability of service members to fulfill their mission anywhere in the world.
Mental health is a core component of readiness. My Military Health makes it possible for service members to stay healthy wherever they serve.
Benefit 3: Using Cutting Edge Technology to Support Patients Better
My Military Health uses digital tools like Scheduled Virtual Visits to make health care easy for patients and providers. Scheduled Virtual Visits enables providers to see their patients quickly which can help patients avoid wait times during a mental health episode.
When doctors find patients who can use digital tools for their current needs, they can act right away. As another Eglin team member put it, “If you have the patient on the phone, we can connect them right now through a virtual visit as one way to improve accessibility.”
By adding digital tools to therapy, patients get more complete care in a way that fits their individual needs and schedules.
Benefit 4: Working as a Team to Improve Patient Care
My Military Health helps different types of providers work better together, which Trahan said is a key to success.
“Working as a team has been vital to the program's success,” she explained. “We work with primary care and specialty clinics to learn from each other and coordinate each patient’s level of care. By doing so, we are improving patient care.”
Benefit 5: Improvements in Access and Satisfaction
Eglin is seeing big improvements thanks to My Military Health. Not only has it improved wait times, but patients are coming back to Eglin because they find it easier to connect with providers there.
Trahan acknowledged many other benefits coming to DHA. “Our staff and providers are more satisfied,” which helps address the burnout problem common in military health. She continued, “My Military Health helps providers feel part of positive change.”
Benefit 6: Potential to Change the Game Across the Enterprise
The success at Eglin shows how My Military Health can help DHA better support military readiness through improved mental health care. My Military Health allows providers and service members a flexible way to meet and securely talk about mental health care. It gives patients an opportunity to have conversations in real time to get support whenever and wherever they need it.
“We know mental health is a major concern, and there's limited care available on and off base," Trahan said. “We need smart ways to reach patients where they are.”
My Military Health offers exactly this kind of smart solution, balancing better access with provider well-being. Trahan said this as an ongoing effort, “This is a continuing project. We keep finding new ways to help our staff and patients thrive.”
| Date Taken: | 05.29.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.29.2025 15:15 |
| Story ID: | 499201 |
| Location: | FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 62 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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