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Bridging digital divide for veterans

Daily Messenger - 8/8/2020

CANANDAIGUA -- Army veteran Justin Hess first signed on to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs telehealth option in 2017, back when the program was fairly new.

When COVID-19 hit last March, forcing everyone to stay at home whenever possible to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Hess, of Canandaigua, was grateful for the uninterrupted connection with his caregivers through the VA.

"I am a people person, and for my mental health and well-being, I need some type of connection," said Hess.

The program called VA Video Connect allows veterans and their caregivers to meet virtually with their VA care teams on any computer, tablet, or mobile device with an internet connection. Hess first used the program for speech therapy, then added his appointments for mental health and other therapies so he could meet with his providers remotely, from his home.

"We have been ramping up video-to-home, and COVID sped that up," said Dr. Brian Westlake, a care manager at the Canandaigua VA.

The VA announced that video telehealth appointments to veterans' homes surged over 1,000% nationwide at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, as veterans increasingly chose virtual care through VA Video Connect.

In the Rochester/Finger Lakes and Southern Tier regions, the VA conducted over 9,000 telehealth appointments between Oct. 1, 2019, and June 30, 2020. Comparing 2019 to what's been seen so far this year, the VA went from 23 services and 50 providers of VA Video Connect to 46 services and 200 providers, allowing more veterans to be seen at home.

Westlake explained how the VA is helping veterans who need assistance get started and in the use of VA Video Connect. Veterans may need access to a computer, tablet or mobile device, better internet connection, or training beyond what is available online. Teams of VA professionals are assigned to help veterans with those issues, he said.

Any veteran enrolled in VA health care with an email account can use VA Video Connect. A link to the "virtual medical room" can be sent and accessed via email to start a video appointment.

While not all appointments can be done virtually, many can, said Westlake. He gave examples in which VA specialists see patients who live miles away from veterans who are seen in their homes.

VA Video Connect's virtual medical rooms allow for multiple participants, so veterans can also involve family members and caregivers if they want to.

For more information and help getting started, visit: https://mobile.va.gov/app/va-video-connect.

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