Home Telehealth, also known as Care Coordination/Home Telehealth, is a service that allows the Veteran's physician or nurse to monitor the Veteran's medical condition remotely using home monitoring equipment.
Veterans can be referred to a care coordinator for enrollment in Home Telehealth services by any member of their care team. Enrollment is approved by a VA provider for Veterans who meet the clinical need for the service.
A care coordinator gets health information that each Veteran provides through personalized questions answered on special equipment, and then checks in with the Veteran by phone, if needed. If any of the Veteran's health measurements do not seem normal, the care coordinator talks with their physician or nurse and then gets back to the Veteran with next steps.
Since Telehealth Care is part of the VHA Medical Benefits Package, all enrolled Veterans are eligible IF they meet the clinical need for the service and it is available.
Home Telehealth can be used in combination with other Home and Community Based Services.
There is no co-payment for Home Telehealth services. However there may be a co-payment charge when in-home video visits are provided in addition to standard Home Telehealth services.
Home Telehealth services are based on your care needs. Home Telehealth equipment may be used to track your:
- Blood pressure
- Blood sugar level
- Pulse
- Weight
- Blood oxygen level
- Heart and lung sounds
You may need a phone line to transfer your health information to VA, however technologies are also available for mobile/cell phone connections. A video screen and camera, or video phone, may also be given to you so that the care coordinator can see you when you talk together. You would be able to turn the video camera off when you are not using it to talk with your care coordinator.
You can use a Shared Decision Making Worksheet to help you figure out what long term care services or settings may best meet your needs now or in the future.
There's also a Caregiver Self-Assessment. It can help your caregiver identify their own needs and decide how much support they can offer to you. Having this information from your caregiver, along with the involvement of your care team and social worker, will help you reach good long term care decisions.
Your physician or other primary care provider can answer questions about your medical needs. Some important questions to talk about with your nurse or social worker and family include:
- Am I willing to use the Home Telehealth technology provided by VA to provide my health-related information daily?
- Am I able to adequately see and/or hear in order to use the technology (or is there someone who can help me with this daily)?
- Am I ready and willing to fully participate in managing my health?
If Home Telehealth services seem right for you, talk with a member of your care team and then a care coordinator can help you to arrange for services.
With Home Telehealth I can check in with a nurse about my head injuries and the messaging system helps me monitor my depression. It's convenient because I don't have to go in to the clinic.
Brandon, Veteran
Home Telehealth helps my dad stay on top of his diabetes and hypertension because it monitors his blood sugar and blood pressure and it makes me worry a whole lot less.
Emily, Veteran's daughter and caregiver
