Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) has signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that expands care in the network for patients under the Veterans Choice Program to the health network’s inpatient hospital campuses and many Lehigh Valley Physician Group (LVPG) practices.

Under the agreement, the VA recognizes LVHN as a Veterans Choice Program provider to offer the full continuum of health services in partnership with the Wilkes-Barre Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). LVHN will provide private sector care when patients cannot be accommodated by the VA because of a lack of available medical specialists; extended wait times for appointments at a VAMC, or, extraordinary distance from the veteran’s home.

“We continue to build on LVHN’s long-time commitment to providing military men and women and their families the best possible access, care and quality outcomes,” said Brian Nester, DO, MBA, FACOEP. “More than 50,000 veterans live in the greater Lehigh Valley, yet too many go unnoticed in today’s health care environment.”

Nester said in 2012, LVHN charted a formal network-wide Patient-Centered Experience initiative around improving services for veterans.