Tech improves VA rural health care

From one veteran to another…

Let’s talk about a word that typically evokes a wide range of emotions: technology.

Some people roll their eyes in frustration with technology, but at VA, we like to think of “technology” as another word for “possibility” when it comes to health care for rural veterans.

At the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center, we have been on the cutting edge of technology since 1997, when we established our first tele-dermatology clinic. In that case, our patients may have received even better service than those in the room with the dermatologist (in St. Louis), because our cameras magnified the “spot” up to 200 times what the normal human eye can see and sent the image to the doctor to review. (Which saved the veteran a considerable amount of drive-time but still provided the same expert results.)

Providing care this way was so helpful for rural veterans, we have since expanded our “tele” clinics to include primary care, orthopedics, traumatic brain injury, liver/renal transplant, smoking cessation, oncology, PTSD and much more. The technology allows us to send and receive secure audio/video to our local outpatient clinics in West Plains, Farmington, Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, and Salem, Missouri, as well as Paragould and Pocahontas, Arkansas.

At VA, we also offer home-telehealth for patients who need help managing chronic conditions. For this program we send easy-to-use medical equipment home with the veteran (at no cost) to monitor conditions such as diabetes, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hypertension, chronic kidney disease and depression. Each weekday the readings are reviewed by a VA nurse – who can also contact the patient to follow up. In some cases, the nurse even works with a pharmacist to manage medication adjustments. Our nurses are particularly vigilant when it comes to elderly patients and I personally know of cases where having this program literally saved veterans’ lives.

But that’s not all. This year we will be implementing VA Video Connect, where veterans can receive their care at their personal computer in the comfort of their own home, or even…on their mobile device! Imagine being able to see your doctor without ever leaving your comfy chair, or while on your lunch break at work!

Speaking of mobile devices, do you know about My HealtheVet? This program will allow our veterans to view most of their medical records, see their lab results, check their appointment dates/times, refill their prescriptions, and communicate with their providers all online! All you need is a personal computer, a laptop, a tablet, or a phone with internet access.

Finally, VA offers a whole suite of apps for veterans, such as Online Scheduling, Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, Concussion Coach, Parenting2Go, PTSD, and many more. For example, the VA Online Scheduling app allows you to schedule your primary care appointments, if you have had an appointment in the last two years and you have a premium My HealtheVet account. The REVAMP app pairs with your Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) machine and enables you to track sleep data and offers troubleshooting support and education about sleep apnea. Learn more about these apps by visiting https://mobile.va.gov.

VA is about serving those who have served. We want to provide care the way our veterans want to receive it, and we want to make life more convenient for them. These innovative solutions are just part of how we provide great service to our veterans in the right way, at the right place, at the right time. If you are a VA patient, tell your fellow veterans how important it is that they sign up for VA health care. If you’re an eligible veteran who is not enrolled – why not?

Help a vet. Enroll.

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Dr. Patricia Hall is the medical center director of the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center since 2016. She is a retired Army colonel and Bronze Star recipient, who completed two tours in Afghanistan where she commanded a hospital in a combat zone.