"The advantage of telemedicine is that it allows the veteran, or civilian for that matter, to access care in their location," said Nick Ross, assistant director of outpatient clinics and planning at the VA of North Florida and South Georgia.
Patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes can now use a device to send medical data to the doctor's office from their homes. Then doctors can provide targeted advice over the telephone when necessary.
No more drives to the doctor's office or long waits in the waiting room.
Doctors can monitor patients remotely to detect changes in their vital signs and send messages to patients through the interactive television sets.
The 64-year-old veteran said being in a different room than the doctor has helped him speak candidly about disturbing memories.
"I used to have to patch the guys up when they got shot and get them in the helicopter immediately, and it was a lot of things you want to forget," he said. "This new videoconferencing, it's a way to release … it's a person, but you don't have to worry about being in the same room with them. It's a lot easier to say what you want to say."
The Source
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