Jacksonville, Fla. — Shirley Colter is a Navy veteran who lives in Orange Park.
Colter uses VA Video Connect to chat with her VA health care providers. It’s new technology that lets her talk to her doctor using a smartphone, computer or tablet.
More than 1,600 veterans are using this technology.
One of the advantages is you don’t have to physically be in the VA hospital or clinic. The user can be anywhere and meet with their doctor face-to-face.
“To me it’s just as good as being in person,” Colter said.
VA Video Connect reaches patients from southern Georgia all the way down to the villages in Florida.
Dr. Melinda Screws, the chief medical officer for the Jacksonville Outpatient VA Clinic, said it’s more convenient for many patients.
“Sometimes it’s really just a relatively simple question that they need answered. Maybe they have a rash and they think they may have shingles and they can show that to me on camera and we can, ‘Yes, I think that it is shingles, or no maybe you got into some poison ivy,’” Screws said.
Colter said the technology can also help other veterans like her who may live in rural communities and can’t make the drive to a VA clinic.
“I think it’s just going to be pretty awesome, especially for those veterans that live pretty distance away from the clinic,” Colter said.
The VA says this technology will mainly be used for follow-up appointments, like speaking to patients about medications or test results.
If you would like a demonstration you can visit the Jacksonville VA Outpatient Clinic on Jefferson Street. in the Primary Care Lobby on Feb. 26 and 27.
To learn more about VA Video Connect you can head to mobile.va.gov/appstore.