In this episode of The CX Tipping Point Podcast, Martha Dorris sat down with Dr. Paul Lawrence, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Dr. Lawrence previously served as the Under Secretary for Benefits during his first term at VA and was named the 2019 Service to the Citizen Government Executive of the Year.

As Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Lawrence oversees VA operations and supports the Secretary in delivering on the Department’s priorities. Throughout the conversation, he reiterated his commitment to veterans and to ensuring they have a positive experience when accessing VA health care and benefits.

Dr. Lawrence highlighted several key achievements, including progress in housing homeless veterans, expanding access through the opening of new clinics, and improving the speed and accuracy of benefits processing — all while working with fewer resources. He emphasized the importance of engaging directly with veterans, listening to their feedback, and using metrics to identify the areas that matter most.

Additional topics discussed included:

• VA’s ongoing rollout of the Electronic Health Record, a major transformation effort aimed at improving both the health care experience and operational efficiency, for which Dr. Lawrence serves as executive champion.
• Enhancements to the overall veteran experience beyond medical care, including small but meaningful changes that demonstrate respect and compassion.
• The value of hearing veterans’ concerns firsthand through in-person visits, and how even minor adjustments can make a significant difference.
• The importance of aligning technology investments with clear outcomes and managing change carefully to ensure successful adoption.
• VA’s responsibility to serve veterans across generations, from their late teens to over 100 years old, requiring excellence across all service delivery channels.

The conversation concluded with a focus on VA’s plans to continue improving benefits processing, simplifying forms, streamlining processes, and enhancing the end-to-end health care experience. Dr. Lawrence noted that veteran trust in VA has increased significantly over the past nine years, underscoring the impact of these efforts.

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Resources Mentioned:

• Citizen Services Newsletter
• 2024 Service to the Citizen Awards Nomination Form