Workforce program digitizes Army, Air Force medical records to expedite healthcare claims
SAN ANTONIO – Disabled veterans are helping their fellow military members by digitizing Army and Air Force medical records through a unique contract with Goodwill Industries of San Antonio.
Congressman Lamar Smith
toured Goodwill’s Contract Services operations at 3370 Nacogdoches Road on Aug. 27, when he met with veterans and other employees who are doing this important work for the retired men and women of the United States military.
The contract is part of the federal AbilityOne® Program. It allows nonprofits such as Goodwill to provide a product or service to the federal government with 75 percent of work done by people with significant disabilities. Goodwill’s San Antonio AbilityOne employees earn an average of $15 per hour.
“It’s easy to support Goodwill’s AbilityOne program as it helps to employ our wounded warriors and other people with disabilities,” said Rep. Smith, whose district covers parts of San Antonio. “This particular facility is creating economic opportunities for the people of the 21st District and San Antonio as a whole, while speeding up the processing of medical records.”
Goodwill’s Army/Air Force Records Processing Center expedites time for the U.S. Department of Defense to process medical claims for retired veterans. The facility has been digitizing service
treatment records, or STRs, since January. Out of its 220 employees, 88 percent are people with significant disabilities. It employs a total of 25 veterans and
service-disabled veterans.
“At Goodwill, we like to say that, ‘Talent has no boundaries,’” added Marla Jackson, CEO of Goodwill San Antonio. “People with disabilities are an asset to the workplace.”
The facility processes 220,000 records annually. Each record has thousands of images, adding up to 44 million images scanned every year: 29 million for the Army and 15 million for the Air Force.
Rep. Smith’s recent tour was his final step to becoming an AbilityOne Champion. Other steps include writing letters of support for projects and meeting with disabled individuals. Across the country, more than 50,000 disabled individuals are employed through more than 550 nonprofits affiliated with AbilityOne. It is the largest employer of people with disabilities in the nation.
About Goodwill Industries of San Antonio
Serving San Antonio since 1945, Goodwill helps change lives through the power of work. When you shop or donate at Goodwill, you’re funding educational programs and services that assist people in finding better jobs and building careers. Together with the support of our generous community, partners and employers, Goodwill provides employment, training, educational opportunities and related services to more than 50,000 individuals each year. In addition to operating 18 retail stores, more than 25 donation stations and 10 Good Careers Centers in San Antonio, New Braunfels, Seguin, Laredo and surrounding areas, Goodwill operates 3 Good Careers Academies and handles 16 contracts for services ranging from document management to grounds maintenance.
