FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md.  –   After more than 18 months of coordination between the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration, Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center welcomed the first patient Feb. 15 under a Joint Incentive Fund optometry program.

Dr. Janna Lambson, one of three optometrists hired in the NCR market under the program, provided a comprehensive eye exam to a Navy veteran who was successfully booked though the new protocols. 

“It feels really good to be able to [increase the availability of services to Veterans],” Lambson said. “Especially hearing that there's a delay in care over at the VA right now,” said Lambson, adding that the delay is caused by staff shortages due to COVID-19. 

Under the program, Lambson will provide at least 40% of her services to VA beneficiaries but is also authorized to see Kimbrough beneficiaries.

“It’s a win-win for everybody,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Caldwell, chief of vision and hearing services. 

Congress created the JIF between the VA and DoD to facilitate a mutually beneficial coordination of resources with the goal of improving access to health care services provided to DoD and VA beneficiaries.

A proposal for low vision and total vision care was accepted in 2019 and provided funding for three optometrists and three optometry technicians in DOD facilities at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital and Kimbrough.

While there are different kinds of JIF programs, the program at Kimbrough is vision-based. Kimbrough’s JIF optometry program is the first time an Army facility has successfully received funding and executed the program, according to Caldwell.  

In addition to successfully providing optometry services, the first patient provided the staff insight into processes in order to improve the program.

“From that very first patient, we learned lessons on how to make the booking appointment go better,” Caldwell said.

Another challenge the team is working on is getting a glasses fitting kit so that VA patients can see the different designs, pick their glasses and get fitted for them instead of receiving a prescription and having to go to the VA or community provider to order their glasses.

“The takeaway is that this is an expansion of services for our local VA patients and an example of Kimbrough’s commitment to the community and to our veterans,” Caldwell said.