Women Making History with VA
Women Veterans can receive health care geared toward their unique needs at sites throughout the VA Maryland Health Care System.
This Women’s History Month, the VA Maryland Health Care System invites women veterans to continue making history with VA.
“For the Department of Veterans Affairs, Women’s History Month means more than just celebrating our women veterans – it means making sure they’re proud of the role we play in the remaining chapters of their story,” said VA Chief of Staff Pam Powers. “We will continue to build on the legacy that America’s women veterans have carved out by listening to them, respecting them, and serving them with the dignity this country owes them.”
Women comprise about 10 percent of the veterans VA serves nationwide, and that number is set to increase, as women are about 20 percent of our military forces.
For decades, VA’s principal patient base was men. But today’s VA facilities provide comprehensive primary care for women, as well as gynecology, specialty care and mental health services. In the last fiscal year, 41 percent of all women veterans were enrolled in VA, and we expect that number to keep climbing as customer service and patient experiences for women veterans continue to improve.
Since VA started tracking outpatient satisfaction in 2017, we’ve seen women’s trust in VA climb higher and higher. In 2019, 83.8 percent of female veterans trusted the care they got at VA, and initial data in 2020 is on pace to see that trust score rise to nearly 85 percent.
“The VA Maryland Health Care System offers a host of services geared toward women veterans,” said Zelda McCormick, Women Veterans Program Manager at the VA Maryland Health Care System.
Services include but are not limited to designated women’s health providers throughout our facilities offering primary care for acute and chronic conditions, preventive care such as immunizations, cancer screenings, and gender specific care, including family planning and preconception counseling, and osteoporosis screening and management. In addition, women veterans can access wellness programs such as health coaching, peer support and community resources, among others.
“Although we don’t deliver babies at our facilities, we do support obstetric care delivered by community partners and provide women veterans with necessary items such as breast pumps,” said McCormick, noting that the health care system has hosted three annual baby showers for expectant or new mothers enrolled in VA health care.
The VA Maryland Health Care System also offers mental health and specialty care, providing treatment for depression, mood and anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug use, addiction treatments, intimate partner violence, in addition to management of chronic and complex conditions.
