Hurricanes, wildfires, winter storms and other natural disasters pose a threat to people all across the country. To be ready for a potential emergency, review VA’s comprehensive list of ways to prepare and resources to know.

Dangerous storms and natural disasters can disrupt your regular health care. VA virtual care can help. Here are a few ways VA virtual care tools can play a part in your emergency plan.

Video visits

To help keep your care on schedule, you can connect with your providers through VA Video Connect, VA’s secure videoconferencing app.

Video visits can help you maintain continuity of care if going to a VA facility is not an option, if roads are impassable or you have evacuated to another location.

To use VA Video Connect for a video visit, you need a smartphone, tablet or computer with an internet connection. You can also invite family members or caregivers to join video visits even if they are in different locations.

To learn more about video visits, check out the VA Video Connect webpage.

My HealtheVet

My HealtheVet, VA’s online patient portal, offers many tools that can be useful in an emergency. Make sure you have a My HealtheVet Premium account to access these features. Upgrading your My HealtheVet account is free and you can access your account 24/7.

With the Secure Messaging feature, you can send messages to your VA care team. Secure Messaging is for asking non-urgent health questions, sending updates on your condition and managing your VA care. It is not meant for urgent or emergency care.

You can also access, download and print your VA health records, including your VA prescriptions, the results of recent medical tests or the date of your last VA appointment. Having an up-to-date printed version of your medical records from My HealtheVet can be helpful in a crisis.

You can also request refills of your VA prescriptions on My HealtheVet. Regularly check that you have enough of your prescription medications and request more online if you are running low. This way, you always have your medication ready during an emergency.

Find more information, access your account on the My HealtheVet website. And you can read this article about hurricane preparedness on the site. 

Remote Patient Monitoring – Home Telehealth

If you are enrolled in VA’s Remote Patient Monitoring – Home Telehealth (RPM – HT) program to monitor medical conditions or symptoms, your RPM – HT team can help you develop an emergency plan for natural disasters.

RPM – HT monitoring can also help keep Veterans connected with their care coordinators should any medical needs arise.

Veteran support hotlines

In a health emergency, call 911. And make sure you save the phone number of your local emergency response team.

The Veteran Disaster Hotline is available 24/7 during declared emergencies and disasters. Veterans can call the hotline at 800-507-4571.

The Veterans Crisis Line provides 24/7, confidential mental health support for Veterans and their family members. Dial 988 and press 1, chat online, or text 838255 for support.

Emergency resources

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