“The Department of Veterans Affairs Needs to prioritize and increase telehealth spending to meet the growing demand for long-term care for veterans, according to a government watchdog.”
“The VA saw a 14 percent increase in the number of veterans needing long-term care between 2014 and 2018, according to a recent report from the Government Accountability Office, while funding for those services jumped 33 percent, from $6.8 million to $9.1 million. With the number of veterans needing care expected to continue rising, and with that care becoming more complex, the GAO expect the VA’s budget with double in less than 20 years.”
“In its report, the GAO identified three challenges in meeting the demand for long-term care:
- Geographic alignment: Many VA services, as well as those healthcare providers used by the VA and veterans, are clustered in cities and other densely-populated areas, yet a growing percentage of veterans are living in rural areas, where access to care is limited. The VA needs to find a way to better meet the needs of rural veterans needing care.
- Workforce shortages: The ranks of healthcare providers are in decline, and once again clustered in urban areas.
- Specialty care: As the veteran population ages, long-term care needs become more complex, requiring the attention of specialists. Yet those specialists are limited, and once again more commonly found in urban areas.”
“… All three of the challenges identified by the GAO involve access to care, and connected health advocates have long said telehealth and mHealth can address those points.” Read the full article here.
Source: VA Urged to Use More Telehealth to Meet Vets’ Long-Term Care Needs – By Eric Wicklund, February 24, 2020. mHealth Intelligence.
