The Integrated Clinical Network (ICN) number is a specialized identifier used by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to manage the healthcare records of veterans. It serves as a unique administrative element within the VA’s complex healthcare system, ensuring that services rendered and medical history are accurately tracked. The ICN is fundamental to the administrative processes that govern veteran care, including referrals, claims processing, and the seamless exchange of medical data.
Defining the Integrated Clinical Network (ICN)
The ICN is a unique, non-Social Security Number (SSN) based identifier assigned to every veteran who receives care through the VA. Its primary purpose is to replace the SSN as the main personal identifier in clinical and administrative systems, significantly enhancing privacy protection for veterans. The formal structure of a Veteran ICN is a 17-character alpha-numeric string, typically composed of ten digits, followed by the letter “V,” and then six additional digits.
The number is assigned and maintained by the Master Person Index (MPI), which acts as the VA’s enterprise-wide system for identifying and linking all veteran records. It functions as the backbone identifier for the core VA medical databases, tying a veteran’s identity to their entire medical history within the federal system. While the number is used internally, it is often referred to as the Master Veteran Index (MVI) ICN in technical documentation, underscoring its role as the definitive personal record locator.
The Role of the ICN in Healthcare Coordination
The operational purpose of the ICN is to ensure complete data integrity and continuity of care for veterans, especially as they move between different providers. When a veteran receives care at multiple VA facilities across the country, the ICN is the mechanism that instantly links all those records together. This prevents fragmentation of medical history, ensuring that a provider in one state has immediate access to the veteran’s full history from another state.
The ICN is also fundamental to system interoperability, particularly with non-VA community care partners like Optum or TriWest. When a veteran is referred to an external provider, the ICN is the preferred identifier used for claims submission and for granting secure access to clinical data. This process allows for the secure exchange of necessary clinical summaries, such as diagnoses, medications, and lab results, through tools like the Health Share Referral Manager (HSRM) Clinical Viewer module. By using the ICN, the VA establishes an abstraction layer, protecting personal information while facilitating the necessary flow of medical data for treatment and billing.
ICN vs. Other Key Veteran Identifiers
Veterans often encounter several unique identifiers, leading to confusion, but the ICN is distinct in its specific clinical and claims role. The Social Security Number (SSN) is still used for broader federal functions, such as determining eligibility for certain benefits and financial processing.
The Veteran ID Card (VIC) number, or the number on the Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC), serves a different, more visible purpose. The VIC is primarily a photo identification used to prove veteran status for general purposes, such as receiving discounts from private businesses. In contrast, the ICN is an internal data element that resides in the magnetic stripe or barcode of the VHIC, which is used for checking in at VA medical facilities.
The Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) number is also different, as it refers to the standardized electronic format and Payer ID used by external providers for submitting claims to the VA. The ICN is the patient identifier placed within the EDI claim form, making the EDI a transaction method and the ICN the specific data point that identifies the veteran’s clinical record within that transaction.