Originally published: 2025-10-10T16:00:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.
The Dayton VA Medical Center’s Change Leadership Team (CLT) has an honorary member ready to help end users prepare for the facility’s Federal Electronic Health Record (EHR) deployment in 2026: a golden Labrador with a love for snacks.
Snaxs (also known as Korey) is an 8-year old certified service dog who has accompanied Joel Legawiec, a Veteran and member of Dayton’s health informatics team, since 2019. At a recent CLT event, Snaxs drew attention with his calm demeanor and friendly disposition, and both the health informatics team and the CLT observed an increase in booth traffic as attendees stopped by to pet him. As the attendees fed the Labrador his favorite dog treats, the team used the opportunity to educate them on the upcoming deployment.
“The interest in our booth provided us the opportunity to answer questions and direct staff to appropriate resources,” said Legawiec. “That face-to-face interaction really helps us discuss the new Federal EHR more effectively. I am glad Korey was able to help with that goal.”
CLTs serve as a conduit for information and decision-making between the local Executive Leadership Team, the Electronic Health Record Modernization Integration Office (EHRM-IO), Oracle Health and site end users, helping guide each facility through a successful Federal EHR deployment.
Amid the surge of information and activities surrounding the 2026 deployment, CLTs look for innovative ways to make pre-deployment events and engagements stand out with the end users. Incorporating Snaxs into the mix offers a memorable and effective way to capture attention.
Snaxs was drafted to pass out lanyards and draw people over to sign-up sheets for training events. He has posed for pictures at events and manned the change readiness table, where staff can get their questions answered regarding the transition to the Federal EHR system. He’s also been featured in the facility’s newsletter and staff emails and was a guest during its weekly fireside chats.
His dedication and consistent attendance at these events have led Dayton staff to recruit Snaxs as an honorary super user. Super users are VA staff who provide essential support to their colleagues during the Federal EHR deployment process, through go-live and beyond, by educating them about the EHR transition and engaging in hands-on troubleshooting.
In July, Deputy Secretary Dr. Paul Lawrence, Ph.D., visited the Dayton facility and was presented with a super user lanyard of his own, which he has donned at times to show his support for the project and to join in championing the role of super users in Federal EHR deployment. His endorsement further encourages staff to engage actively with the training and resources provided.
And as for Snaxs, well, he just loves the snacks that come with the job.
For more information and resources, visit the EHRM website.
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.
