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Telehealth is More than a Video Chat

Questions to ask your doctor

Because of the pandemic, you may have seen or heard more about VA Telehealth lately, but do you know everything you can do with it? VA Telehealth is transforming how you access high-quality VA care. Using your computer or mobile device, you can meet with your VA doctor virtually and send important health data from the comfort of your home. It's much more than a social ‘chat,’ and with preparation, you can make it a productive appointment.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

To make sure you’re using everything telehealth can offer you, we have a list of questions you may wish to ask next time you speak with or send a Secure Message to your VA provider or health care team.

  • Start by asking: ‘Can I use Telehealth?’

  • Explain your situation and ask which option fits your needs. Based on your location and condition, VA can offer three types of Telehealth.

  • To help with long travel or wait times, ask about Store-and-Forward Telehealth or VA Video Connect. With Store-and-Forward, you may be able to have sounds, images, and video health data collected at a clinic nearby and then sent to your VA provider. VA Video Connect offers you the flexibility to have appointments from a location of your choice.

  • Make sure you understand what technology you’ll need to get started. If you don't have a video-capable device, VA has options to help you get connected. 

  • Finally, ask what specialties are available by Telehealth at your facility!

VA continues to develop and test new programs every day. Ask your doctor to keep you updated about new telehealth services and VA-loaned devices.

Getting Started

Using Telehealth programs at home can help motivate you to be involved in your care. Because of virtual care, U.S Marine Corps Veteran Arturo Santiago said, “I do my vitals every morning, and I never did that before. The program was able to give me direction.”

Each VA Medical Center has staff members who can tell you about the Telehealth options available to you and help you enroll. To learn more, get in touch with your health care team using Secure Messaging.

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