VA pushes external providers to adopt tech streamlining veteran specialist appointments
ByChristian Robles,
Technology Reporter, Nextgov/FCW
October 19, 2026 08:00 AM ET
The effort comes after Secretary Doug Collins told lawmakers last year the federal government is doing “everything we possibly can” to boost the technology’s adoption.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is encouraging outside providers to enable the External Provider Scheduling, or EPS, system which lets VA staff directly book specialist appointments for veterans with those providers.
The EPS platform is meant to save VA staff the hassle of booking specialist appointments with non-VA providers through faxes and phone calls. All VA facilities implemented the EPS system in late 2025, and the system has 27,000 participating non-VA providers covering 78 specialties, according to a March 2026 press release.
“We’re really cooking with grease and being able to schedule veterans much faster,” Howard Manuel, VA deputy senior advisor, told Nextgov/FCW in a recent interview.
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