VA officials said on Thursday that online emergency care is now available to veterans nationwide. File Photo by fernando zhiminaicela/Pixabay
Online emergency care is now available to veterans nationwide, the Veterans Administration announced Thursday.
The program has been piloted in recent months and helped 61,182 callers with their health care needs, a 59.4% success rate, meaning that many veterans did not have to leave home to receive care, the VA said in a release. The pilot program worked with 60,000 people, it added. Advertisement
“Veterans can now be evaluated for possible emergencies from the comfort of their home,” said VA Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal, M.D. “Sometimes, you’re not sure whether what you’re experiencing is a minor emergency or not — and tele-emergency care can help you resolve those questions. Veterans can get immediate, virtual triage with a VA medical provider who has direct access to their medical records. This avoids having to potentially drive to the nearest emergency department and wait to be evaluated, if appropriate.”
The online emergency services program is part of VA Health Connect, which puts veterans in touch with nurses and other health care professionals who can help reduce or eliminate the need for in person health care visits. The site also offers a search function to allow vets to find a provider near them. Advertisement
While it does not replace the need for in-person care, the new tele-emergency service can be especially useful for people in rural areas where health care services can be scarce and far from urban centers that offer more robust care, the VA said. It is also a good alternative for people with mobility and transportation issues.
The VA says veterans’ trust in the administration is at an all time high.
Last month, a Congressional committee considered legislation that would extend a pandemic-era provision allowing doctors to distribute and deliver medically necessary controlled substances via telemedicine under certain conditions.
