Coronavirus

VA’s Office of Information and Technology (OIT) quintupled the capacity of its primary telehealth system, VA Video Connect, to allow more clinicians and patients to conduct remote appointments simultaneously. Veterans Health Administration clinicians now conduct close to 30,000 telehealth video appointments a day, compared to fewer than 2,500 video appointments each day in January and February.

Charles Sheppard was homeless when he came to the Milwaukee VA to get clean. He made a dramatic recovery and helped hundreds find homes and get off drugs. He died June 15 after a battle with COVID-19.

In a time of painful grief, a Veteran’s family paused to thank VA staff for taking care of their Veteran husband and father on his last night. “It brought so much comfort to our family.”

Many VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) across the country are re-opening their doors and expanding services. To ensure the protection of both patients and staff, VA’s Office of Information and Technology (OIT) collaborated with the Durham, North Carolina VAMC to launch the COVID-19 digital pre-entry screener.

The benefits of 3D printing are limitless—from individually customized care, such as creating hand and foot orthotics, prosthetic limbs, and reconstructive surgery, to more groundbreaking applications, such as the ability to accurately replicate a patient’s heart, lung, spine, or aortic valve. Clearly, 3D printing has a profound impact on Veterans’ lives.

Questions about the use of face shields without masks have been raised in situations where physical distancing cannot be maintained or individuals can’t wear masks. Here’s a detailed explanation.

VA medical facilities are expanding services and will welcome back our volunteers gradually with several safeguards. We’ve created new volunteer roles, adapted some, and continue to pause others.

To help keep Veterans, VA staff, and others safe, VA is challenging innovators engineers, designers, academia, the private sector and VA to create new ways to help health care staff do their jobs.

VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) across the country are expanding services now that onsite patient care can safely resume. To ensure the protection of both patients and staff, VA's Office of Information and Technology (OIT) worked with VHA to launch “I am Here,” a new VEText virtual check-in feature.

Dr. Erdal Gursoy conducted the only two Micra A/V leadless pacemaker placements in Veterans Affairs history at Northport VA Medical Center at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sharon Tapp’s job as a nurse was caring for others until she was diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus and spent 117-days in the hospital, two months in a coma. She is home after a “miraculous” recovery.

Youth volunteers will be “Bridging the Digital Divide” at Charleston VA Medical Center. They will help Veterans with virtual appointments and other technology that not all Veterans are familiar with.