New medical assessment forms bring greater efficiency and clarity

In May 2023, DVA embarked on an ambitious project to review the Compensation Medical Assessment Forms (MedForms), a critical component in the processing of veterans’ claims. 

We are pleased to announce the successful completion of this project, which marks another milestone in our ongoing commitment to improve the claims process for veterans. 

The primary goal of the review was to create new forms that are not only easier to understand but more effective in helping DVA delegates obtain and understand the information necessary to make informed decisions on claims. We recognised the need for forms that are concise, user-friendly and digitally ready – all of which contribute to faster and more accurate claims assessments. 

Through this journey, DVA undertook extensive consultation with a diverse range of stakeholders. Internally, we relied on the expertise of our dedicated processing teams, while externally we collaborated with medical providers and peak bodies, ex-service organisations (ESOs), and the Australian Government’s Behavioural Economics Team. This collaborative approach ensured that the new forms would meet the practical needs of those on the front lines of veteran care. 

The project reviewed 210 medical forms which spanned an overwhelming 658 pages. Through consolidation and simplification, we have successfully reduced this to 84 streamlined forms – now encompassing just 183 pages. 

The newly designed Medical Impairment Assessment forms are now in active use and available from DVA’s Provider forms web page. 

The forms represent our ongoing efforts to serve veterans and their families better. They are designed to be intuitive and straightforward, ensuring that medical providers can easily navigate and complete them, ultimately speeding up the assessment and decision-making process. 

This reduction in paperwork alleviates the administrative burden on medical providers as well as enhancing the clarity and efficiency of the claims process. DVA is now identifying the best way to progressively make these forms fully digital. 

As we look to the future we remain committed to  continuous improvement and welcome ongoing feedback from all stakeholders. We encourage providers with questions or suggestions regarding the new or existing forms to reach out via email to Business.Improvement.CBD [at] dva.gov.au (Business[dot]Improvement[dot]CBD[at]dva[dot]gov[dot]au).