Medical Documents Related to Armed Forces Veterans' Health
News Article: U.S. Military Veterans' Health Records Management
The management of health records for U.S. military veterans has undergone significant changes over the years, with the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) playing crucial roles.
- Service Records and the NPRC
Service records, which may contain medical information, are maintained by the NPRC in St. Louis, Missouri. These records, however, are usually separate from detailed medical records. Active duty medical records are typically managed by the Military Health System (MHS) and transferred to the VA upon separation or retirement.
- Medical Records and the VA
The VA is responsible for managing the medical records of veterans. These records are typically stored electronically and are accessible through the VA's system. Following their separation from service, detailed medical records are stored with the VA.
- Accessing Records
Veterans or their next of kin can request records from the NPRC or the VA using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or the Privacy Act of 1974. It's worth noting that for veterans who have filed a medical claim with the VA, they do not need to request a copy of their military health record from the NPRC, as the VA will obtain the original health record from the NPRC after a claim is filed.
- Electronic Health Records (EHRs)
Starting in the early 2000s, the Military Health System began transitioning to electronic health records (EHRs), which are now used across the branches and integrated into the VA's system upon separation from service.
- Health Records Timeline
In 1992, the Army began retiring most of its former members' health records to the VA. This practice was adopted by the Navy, Air Force, Reserves, National Guard, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard from 1994 to 2013. As of January 1, 2014, these branches no longer retire health records to the VA.
Health records include induction and separation physical examinations, as well as routine medical care, outpatient, dental, and mental health treatment received by former members during military service. Clinical (hospital inpatient) records, generated when active duty members were hospitalized, are not filed with the health records but are generally retired to NPRC by the facility which created them.
For specific locations of health records for Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard veterans from 1992 to 2014, please refer to the following table:
| Branch | Discharge/Separation Date Range | Health Record Location | |--------|--------------------------------|-----------------------| | Army | October 16, 1992 - December 31, 2013 | Department of VA, Records Management Center | | Navy | January 1, 2014 - Present | BUMED Navy Medicine Records Activity | | Navy | January 31, 1994 - December 31, 2013 | Department of VA, Records Management Center | | Air Force | January 1, 2014 - Present | AF STR Processing Center | | Air Force | May 1, 1994 - December 31, 2013 | Department of VA, Records Management Center |
For Army veterans discharged, retired, or separated from any component after January 1, 2014, their health records are located at the AMEDD Record Processing Center.
It's essential for veterans who filed a medical claim to contact the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) at 1-800-827-1000 to determine if their record is already on file.
In conclusion, while service records are managed by the NPRC, detailed medical records are primarily handled by the VA. Each branch does not maintain separate repositories for health records; instead, they are centralized through the VA for veterans post-service.
- Service records maintained by the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) may contain medical information, but detailed medical records are typically managed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
- Starting in the early 2000s, the Military Health System began transitioning to electronic health records (EHRs), which are now integrated into the VA's system upon separation from service, ensuring that veterans' health and medical-conditions information is maintained consistently in health-and-wellness records.
