The client file, start to standing.

The intake case manager conducts a system-by-system review of the veteran's health history, service history, current symptoms, and functional limitations. This produces an initial health snapshot covering both physical and mental health.

The same conversation establishes whether the veteran wants direct primary care through the platform. Healthcare is the purpose. Where clinically supported, the providers' independent work produces diagnoses, care plans, connection-to-service opinions, and independent medical opinions as byproducts of that care. None of these is a purchased product, and no one at VHN promises what a provider will find or produce.

The veteran meets their ongoing case manager, their single point of contact for the rest of the process. The case manager onboards them, sets expectations for every stage ahead, and introduces them to accredited representation.

The case manager also carries the support load around the file: administrative and coordination support for the medical professionals, and support for the accredited representative on everything outside VBMS and VA IT systems. The case manager answers no claims questions at any point. Those go to the representative.

The accredited representative, acting under their own authority, establishes the intent to file, the 21-22a (or 21-22 for a VSO), and their own fee agreement under 38 CFR 14.636. No payment flows between VHN and any representative at any point.

The representative also completes their standard intake: identifying conditions and opportunities to explore, including potential secondary conditions. That intake feeds the QA review in the next step.

Once the POA is established, case management obtains service treatment records and the C-file through the representative's access. VHN handles redaction on its own side, with a quality check before any record reaches a provider.

Case management prepares pre-appointment packets for both medical professionals assigned to the veteran, one for the physical evaluation and one for the mental health evaluation.

Before the packets go out, the representative's intake findings are checked against the veteran's whole health picture: everything they are dealing with, claim-related or not. Health comes first, and the evaluation covers the full person, not a list of filing targets.

Packets are sent to the professionals in advance of the appointments VHN schedules with each of them.

The appointments happen. Each provider evaluates independently and produces the clinical material their own judgment supports.

Case management organizes that material into a clean, complete package and delivers it to the accredited representative, then confirms the representative has what they need and is ready to proceed.

The representative files under their own authority. VHN does not prepare, present, or submit any claim.

While the claim is pending, the case manager keeps the file alive. They help the veteran maintain symptom logs, schedule follow-up appointments, and stay responsive to the representative.

Every question finds its right owner. Clinical judgment questions are escalated to the providers. Claims strategy questions go to the accredited representative. The case manager routes; the case manager does not answer either kind.

The relationship does not end at the decision. For as long as the veteran remains a member of the DPC network, their case manager remains theirs. After the decision, that support extends to benefits activation and utilization: helping the veteran navigate enrollment, connect with the services their benefits open up, and put what they have earned to actual use.