Noteboom The Law Firm

New Mobile Devices Allow Veterans To Access Their Doctor

January 27, 2011 - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is issuing handheld devices to returning veterans, giving them access to their primary doctor. This is a VA pilot program allowing real-time information exchange through a brand new software application.

There were about 500,000 disability claims filed from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars alone. This doesn't include any claims from any other conflict. In an attempt to get on top of the backlog of disability claims, the VA is attempting to make the application process easier and thus faster through the use of technology.

The software the VA is using allows veterans to chart not only their military health history, but their personal and family history as well. Snapshots of the veterans' personal information are paired with a GPS scheduler. Those two things work together, giving veterans the ability to contact their primary care physician for real-time help over FaceTime chat on Apple's iOS platform.

This technology is looking to be applied to specific treatments, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). This program allows the veterans' families to track the veterans' progress through their treatment. With the amount of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with mental health issues, it is important to have as much positive influence included in the veterans' treatment as possible. 

Depending on the success of the pilot program, perhaps all soldiers will be fitted with a similar device and get the help they need when they need it the most.