MARION – Deaconess Illinois and Marion VA Medical Center leaders are proud to announce a
groundbreaking partnership, making Deaconess Illinois the first hospital system in Illinois to collaborate with the VA on external provider scheduling. This initiative modernizes the appointment scheduling process for Veterans receiving care through the Veterans Health Administration’s community care network.
Using WellHive’s scheduling technology, VA staff can search provider profiles, compare real-time
appointment availability and schedule Veteran appointments directly within the platform. What once required multiple phone calls and significant staff time can now be completed in minutes, improving access and continuity of care for Veterans across Southern Illinois.
Veterans referred to Deaconess Illinois specialists will now benefit from real-time scheduling, significantly reducing delays and improving coordination of care. Deaconess Illinois is among the fastest scheduling facilities in the nation, with some appointments and procedures scheduled in as little as five minutes through secure electronic systems that remove traditional barriers to care.
“When Veterans are referred to community care, the scheduling process should be simple, fast and focused on their health care,” U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, said. “I am pleased to see this advanced external provider scheduling partnership between our Marion VA and Deaconess Illinois Health System rollout so that veterans in Southern Illinois have access to the modern tools they need to get their appointments. As Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, I have been working on this issue with the Trump administration to bridge the gap in scheduling appointments to bring VA’s scheduling out of the stone age and into the Golden Age on behalf of Veterans across our district who can’t be driving hours for their appointments – or waiting hours on the phone to know when they will get their care. I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance House Republicans’ bill, the Veterans Community Care Scheduling Improvement Act, to take modern partnerships like this one across the country.”
“This partnership is a win-win for everyone,” William Davis, Deaconess Illinois Region President, said. “By streamlining scheduling and reducing delays, we’re helping Veterans get faster access to the care they deserve while also easing the burden on the VA health system.”
The partnership reflects the Department of Veterans Affairs’ commitment to modernizing healthcare delivery and expanding community care options. Deaconess Illinois and the Marion VA remain committed to building on this collaboration and exploring additional innovations that improve access, reduce delays and deliver high quality care closer to home for Veterans.