# VA Expands External Provider Scheduling

The Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking broader adoption of its External Provider Scheduling (EPS) system, which enables VA staff to book veterans’ specialist appointments directly with participating non-VA providers. VA facilities implemented EPS in late 2025; by March 2026, the system included 27,000 providers across 78 specialties. VA awarded WellHive the EPS contract in 2023. For procurement teams and healthcare suppliers, expansion may create work in provider onboarding, scheduling operations, and integration with electronic health record systems.

- Health systems and specialist providers can evaluate participation in EPS and the onboarding and scheduling processes needed to support VA referrals.
- Technology contractors may find opportunities in EPS expansion and EHR integration; Epic is identified as an integrated EHR platform.
- The reported provider and specialty counts indicate an established network, but the signal does not identify a new solicitation, contract value, or procurement timeline.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Healthcare, Information Technology
**Topics:** Digital Infrastructure
**Published:** October 19, 2026

### Government Entities
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
- Marion VA Medical Center (VA)

### Vendors
- WellHive (EPS system contractor)
- Deaconess Health System (Participating external healthcare provider and early adopter)
- Epic (Electronic health record platform provider integrated with EPS)

### Key Quotes
> We’re really cooking with grease and being able to schedule veterans much faster
> — Howard Manuel, VA Deputy Senior Advisor

### Sources
- [VA pushes external providers to adopt tech streamlining veteran specialist appointments - Nextgov/FCW](https://www.nextgov.com/digital-government/2026/10/va-pushes-external-providers-adopt-tech-streamlining-veteran-specialist-appointments/416648) - Nextgov/FCW