Case Study: Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Office

CHALLENGE

The Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Office (KCVAO) needed to automate the processing of Veterans’ benefit claims in a way that would not only conform to their immediate needs, but would be flexible to adapt over time to changing requirements. This flexibility was put to the test during the COVID-19 crisis.

SOLUTION

KCVAO selected the Tyler Technologies team to provide solutions to automate the Veterans’ benefits claims process, including submitting claims to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The case management solution automatically populates forms and accepts e-signatures, streamlining the claims submission process. Since their initial engagement, KCVAO has moved to a Tyler-hosted model for added flexibility. As their requirements evolve, Tyler continues to provide modernized solutions tailored to the agency’s needs, based on the Entellitrak platform.

RESULTS

From the beginning, KCVAO has relied on the Tyler team to provide exactly what they need. In the initial engagement, KCVAO had over 140 requirements for configuring the software to their specifications, which were enthusiastically met. Over time, KCVAO has adapted to new challenges, adopting functionality to improve the search, document handling, and form population functionality of the solution.

These changes have boosted efficiency for the agency.

• 95% of form submissions are now done electronically rather than by mail, cutting 2-3 weeks off the submission time.
• Dynamic search capabilities help identify which Veterans qualify for specific benefits.
• Direct upload of forms reduces overall processing time; some VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation claims have been decided in less than one month.
• The auto-population of forms streamlines meetings by allowing the VSR to spend time talking to the Veteran instead of capturing data.

Also, as a result of their proactive approach to modernization, KCVAO was ready when COVID-19 hit. KCVAO Veteran Service Representatives (VSRs) were able to make a seamless transition from work to home, maintaining the same productivity. The ability to accept e-signatures kept cases moving. And then, when conditions in Kansas changed, the VSRs moved back into their offices seamlessly.

CONCLUSION

The ability to adapt to changing conditions helps KCVAO serve Veterans and their families consistently and efficiently. Because of their ongoing investment in their case management system, many processes are automated, freeing VSRs to invest their time in building relationships with the Veterans. Rather than impersonal transactions, they are able to build trust and truly understand the Veterans’ needs.

Tyler Technologies is committed to helping KCVAO serve the Veterans of Kansas, providing immediate attention when they have requests. Combining a proactive spirit with Tyler’s flexible, configurable Entellitrak-based solutions from Tyler, the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Office is prepared for any crisis.