Department of Veterans Affairs is rolling out the use of private enclosure rooms, called pods, which veterans can use to conduct telehealth appointments, according to a Nov. 11 news release.
To design and build the telehealth pods, VA partnered with Philips. The pods are equipped with telehealth technology that allows veterans to consult with their VA clinicians in a space closer to home as opposed to traveling to the nearest VA facility, which could be hours away. Some of the technology in the pods include WiFi-enabled electronic scales, blood pressure cuffs and thermometers.
The telehealth program, called Accessing Telehealth through Local Area Stations, is the result of a partnership between VA, Philips, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. The telehealth pods will be located at various VFW and Legion posts.
Philips also partnered with Caregility, a clinical communication platform, on the telehealth pods. HIPAA-trained attendants will also help manage the pods, according to the release.