President Donald Trump and Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David J. Shulkin, MD, introduced telehealth and scheduling technology during a White House meeting in the Roosevelt Room.
The VA will expand the use of telehealth under a nationwide program called VA Video Connect, branded with the tagline "anywhere to anywhere." The VA Video Connect program will enable patients to reach VA providers via video conferencing on smartphones and desktop computers.
"As you may know, VA already has the largest telehealth program in the country," Dr. Shulkin said, noting the VA served 700,000 veterans via telehealth last year. "We're going to be issuing a regulation that allows our VA providers to provide telehealth services from anywhere in the country to veterans anywhere in the country."
The VA will also promote use of the Veterans Appointment Request, a mobile app that allows patients to schedule and change appointments at VA facilities. The app has already been used to book more than 4,000 veteran appointments, however, the national rollout will allow all veterans to access the service.
"These accomplishments are only the beginning," President Trump said. "We will not rest until all of America's great veterans can receive the care they so richly deserve."
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