U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Connected Care

For over a decade, Anthology has supported the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Connected Care in its mission to ensure Veterans can access care where and when they need it through digital health tools. Our focus on strategic outreach and user-centered solutions has led to increased awareness and adoption of these resources among both Veteran patients and VA providers.

The COVID-19 pandemic expedited the demand and need for telehealth. VA telehealth capacity grew by over 1,000% in 2020 and 3,000% by 2022. To support this unprecedented growth, we supported the communications planning and launch of Connected Care Academy, a comprehensive telehealth training platform. The team created resources that supported staff adoption of the platform like quick-start guides, webinars, and “Getting Started” videos. These tools were shared through virtual events and email outreach campaigns with providers and other critical audiences.

Understanding the needs of both Veteran patients and providers’ audiences has been central to our success. To better understand the provider’s needs and preferences regarding communications and training, Anthology implemented annual assessments using interviews, focus groups, and surveys to gather insights into user satisfaction, engagement, and preferences. Additionally, we managed the Connected Care Discussion Series – a monthly webinar series that has educated over 20,000 VA providers, supported VA leadership initiatives like the Connected Care Distinguished Leaders Awards – a quarterly award that recognizes provider offering exceptional care via connected care tools, and secured speaking opportunities at major conferences such as AUSA and HIMSS.

Stakeholder outreach has been vital in our efforts to reach Veteran audiences. To reach a larger segment of Veterans we developed and maintained a database of 200 key partners, including Veteran Service Organizations, health associations, and others. Anthology has coordinated over 300 outreach events, with organizations like T-Mobile, USAA, and the VFW between 2020 and 2024. These events generated over 100,000 views and hundreds of interactions.

Every step—whether through outreach, research, or storytelling—has been about raising awareness and increasing the implementation of connected health tools. Anthology’s work at VA continues to shape training outcomes and enhance user experiences.