“Ultimately, it’s about being efficient and effective for our veterans,” Dayton VA Medical Center Director Jennifer DeFrancesco said in an interview.
For the VA, “telehealth” is an umbrella term covering telephone appointments, face-time calls or online video meetings.
During COVID restrictions, telehealth was the go-to appointment method for a time. It has dropped off since then, but DeFrancesco noted that in the Dayton VA’s service area, about half of the population is considered rural or even “highly rural.”
“It’s really important that our veterans everywhere have the opportunity to have access to the best providers,” she said.
The Dayton VA’s catchment area covers 16 counties in Ohio and Indiana, including Montgomery and Clark counties, stretching north to Lima and west to Richmond, Ind.
The VA can also provide computer tablets to certain veterans who meet department criteria, she said. “It’s a huge deal.”
If a veteran lacks a smart device, is involved in an evidence-based mental health protocol or involved in a vision program, a device can be provided to him or her at no cost, according to the Dayton VA. The ordering provider must attest they will treat the veteran via telehealth for at least 90 days.
The proposed grant program, called Accessing Telehealth through Local Area Stations (ATLAS), would fund nonprofits and private businesses to offer veterans private spaces equipped with high-speed internet access and the technology to meet with VA providers remotely. Grants would also pay for training to support the program.
This year, the VA announced the availability of tele-emergency care nationwide, and the VA this year also began waiving veterans’ copays for their first three outpatient mental health care visits of each year.
Of veterans who are turning to the telephone triage service, about 30% of them are avoiding what turn out to be unnecessary ER visits, DeFrancesco said.
“Truly, the veterans who need to go to the ER are able to validate that and go to their ER down the street or to the VA ER,” she said.
“Waiving copays for telehealth services and launching this grant program are both major steps forward in ensuring veterans can access health care where and when they need it,” VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in a release.
The rulemaking can be viewed in the Federal Register under public inspection, and will be published and open for comment beginning Wednesday (findable by searching for the rule on VA’s Federal Register webpage).
VA anticipates a notice of funding opportunity for the grant program to be published following publication of the final rule.
In-person visits are still possible for those who prefer it. But younger veterans tend to prefer telehealth options, DeFrancesco said.
“We want to make sure our veterans have the choice to get care in whatever way that they want to,” she said.
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