About Telehealth

As technology is expanding and becoming a larger part of our everyday lives, healthcare is also embracing technology as a way to provide additional assistance.

Telehealth is the delivery of health-related services via telecommunications technologies. The VA telehealth services uses health informatics, disease management and other technologies to improve access to quality health care.

The purpose of telehealth in the VA is to ensure veterans get the right care in the right place and at the right time. This type of assistance is especially useful for veterans who may be housebound, live in rural areas or whose disability makes traveling difficult.

What Services are Available Through Telehealth?

Traditionally, veterans in need will visit a VA hospital or medical center, however, the VA has also created hundreds of community-based outpatient clinics. Although the clinics can provide some services, they can also help connect veterans with specialty care physicians through telehealth technologies.

Some healthcare matters the VA may cover through telehealth include:

• Cardiology
• Neurology
• Nutrition
• Rehabilitation
• Polytrauma
• Mental health
• Occupational therapy

How Do Telehealth Services Work?

Telehealth may be classified as asynchronous or synchronous, which can differentiate how veterans interact with their physician or specialist.

Synchronous

Real-time or clinical video telehealth requires the presence of both parties at the same time and a communication link between them that allows real-time interaction, typically the veteran and physician will connect through a video-conferencing platform.

Asynchronous

Also known as store-and-forward telehealth, this type of telehealth involves getting medical data and then transmitting the information to a doctor or specialist for assessment offline.

Telehealth has truly changed how veterans receive the care they need and in the future much more may be done to improve how returning service members receive medical attention.

For more information, visit Telehealth on the VA website.