A proposed compromise in Congress to overhaul the VA, if passed, would have a notable impact on the department's mHealth and telemedicine initiatives.
Proposed legislation authorizes the department to accelerate the deployment of mobile clinics through the use of telemedicine — which can allow veterans to avoid traveling long distances and reduce wait time to access medical attention.
Telemedicine is, in fact, already being used by the VA. The VA’s website outlines the agency’s efforts to develop telemedicine.
“(The) VA is now recognized as one of the world leaders in this new area of healthcare,” the agency said. “Clinical Video Telehealth (CVT) uses … telehealth technologies to make diagnoses, manage care, perform check-ups and actually provide care.”
The VA lists telesurgery, telerehabilitation, telementalhealth and telecardiology as some of the special services offered.
The proposed overhaul legislation would also require the VA to refurbish its scheduling software system. Under the bill, a special task force would study the problems associated with the current system and conduct a survey of other solutions and products and make recommendations for a new system.
The VA became the center of much attention recebntly as the bill, approved by House and Senate negotiators, was quickly followed by Senate confirmation of Procter & Gamble CEO Robert McDonald as the new VA secretary.
McDonald, 61, of Cincinnati, will replace Acting VA Secretary Sloan Gibson, who assumed the position in May following the resignation of Eric Shinseki in the midst of allegations of protracted veterans' waits for healthcare and of VA employees falsifying records to hide delays.
If passed, the VA would have to act on the bill’s recommendations within one year.
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