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| A patient and his medical provider communicate via Video Technology Conferencing (VTC). |
WBRC
excitedly moves another step forward into applying technology for “providing
the right care in the right place at the right time” to our veterans and active
duty service members.
The VA
initiative to increase access to care services for those living in rural and
medically under-served areas is now being explored and developed at the WBRC for
those with visual impairment and blind through the use of the “TeleHealth”
programs.
Currently
offered in established programs in TeleAudiology, TeleCardiology, Tele-SCI/D-Spinal
Cord Injury/Disorder, and PolyTrauma Network (PTN) and others, the use of
electronic devices such as computers, and videoconferencing, allows healthcare
interventions, examinations and timely contact with providers for care of
veterans in different locations. These
electronic devices can eliminate unnecessary travel to clinics or hospitals.
Many low
vision clinics and providers offer electronic transmission of pictures of
retinal examinations of a patient in one place to examination and diagnosis by
an optometrist or ophthalmologist at a different location. An expansion of application of this type of
technology is now being developed for other care service needs of the visually
impaired or blind related to visual diagnosis to maintain maximum independence
and maximum self care management of the eye disorder in conjunction with other
medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and medication
management. Adaptive accessibility of “TeleHealth “
programs is being explored for ease of use by the visually impaired or
blind veteran.
WBRC is planning to incorporate their new TeleHealth system in a variety of ways such as including VIST coordinators and/or family members into treatment planning meetings, family training programs, post-discharge consults, and employee training to name a few. If you have
any ideas as to how the use of technology available in TeleHealth could help benefit
you or those veterans you know who are visual impaired or blind, or if you want
to learn more about “TeleHealth” contact WBRC Nurse Manager Richard Wing RN at
richard.wing@va.gov or call WBRC 650-493-5000, select Menlo Park, then enter ext. 24627.
Written by: Richard Wing, WBRC Nurse Manager
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