The Department of Veterans Affairs will spend $500 million in 2013 on telemedicine programs intended for 8 million veterans, Federal News Radio reported Friday.Jason Miller writes that VA Health Undersecretary Robert Petzel told the station in an interview at the Connected Health Showcase event Wednesday in Washington agency seeks to further build a virtual care delivery system.
Petzel also told the station the VA has launched mobile apps that work to engage caregivers outside of the traditional office visit.
A new VA pilot program has 1,000 veterans receive an iPad with 10 health-related applications that aim to monitor health stats and help users communicate with healthcare providers, Miller reports.
Shawn Hardenbrook, the VA’s Web and mobile solutions director, told Federal News Radio the agency aims for the iPads to help veterans to reorder their medication and check medical and laboratory information.
Miller reports the VA will launch another two-year pilot to give 10,000 healthcare providers with iPads containing 30 apps.
