“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, access to care, specifically telehealth care, was increasingly important. However, the lack of broadband internet access or internet-connected devices, especially in rural areas of the country, created a significant barrier for Veterans looking to access these services, an official from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) said during an FCW virtual event on Dec. 1.”
“According to Leonie Heyworth, the director of Synchronous Telehealth for the Office of Connected Care at the VA, the department has implemented initiatives to increase Veterans’ access to telehealth services and the technology or infrastructure to access these services.”
“’We want to bring digital technology to Veterans making sure that our Veterans can connect with their healthcare professionals [to] extend beyond the brick and mortar walls of VA facilities and into their homes. Giving Veterans a choice as to where they want to receive their VA care,’ Heyworth said…”
“Now, according to Heyworth, the department is working to pair its recent advances in telehealth capacities with aid programs to bridge the digital divide in rural areas and help veterans who might not be able to afford new technology personally…” Read the full article here.
Source: VA Official on Expanding Access to Telehealth Services – By Lisbeth Perez, December 3, 2021. MeriTalk.
