VA TeleOncology brings the best care to Veterans with breast cancer

VA’s National TeleOncology services increase access to breast and gynecological cancer care for Veterans across the United States. VA oncologists can deliver cancer screenings, diagnostics and treatment through telehealth. These services enable Veterans in rural areas or with busy schedules to get the care they need.

“It’s great to be able to bring this specialty care to Veterans in rural places who would have never had access to that kind of care otherwise,” said Sarah Collins, nurse practitioner, VA National Oncology Program.

Expanding access for Veterans

TeleOncology services reduce barriers to care, such as long commutes to VA medical centers or the need for childcare.

“Most women Veterans are moms or caregivers or breadwinners of their family, which makes it hard to make time for doctor’s appointments. Being able to do their visits from home is helpful for them,” Collins said.

Some Veterans don’t live near a VA facility with breast or gynecological cancer specialists. TeleOncology ensures that Veterans get the care they need from anywhere.

“We have a patient in Sioux Falls, North Dakota, who’s receiving oral therapy for breast cancer. She didn’t have a breast cancer specialist anywhere near her. And she would have to travel many hours to get to her local VA medical center. I don’t know that she would have gotten the best care she could have without using VA TeleOncology to manage her treatment at home,” Collins shared.

VA supports Veterans through treatment

Many VA facilities have set up successful local peer support groups for Veterans with breast cancer. VA’s TeleOncology services build on that success to create national virtual support groups. These programs connect Veterans nationwide to help them through their treatment and beyond.

The first national breast cancer peer support group launched in September. Led by a Veteran who had lung cancer, the group meets virtually every two weeks to support each other through their treatments.

The program is also working to launch a nationwide survivorship program to monitor Veterans who have completed their primary cancer treatment. Each oncology specialty will have a dedicated survivorship clinic to help Veterans manage their whole health and to look out for potential cancer recurrence.

As VA’s National TeleOncology services continue to grow, more Veterans have access to high-quality care for breast cancer than ever before.

Here’s more on VA TeleOncology.