Connecting to remote pharmacy specialists
Every month, 71-year-old Army Veteran Beth Anne parks at her local shopping center, opens her tablet, logs onto the Wi-Fi and connects to a service she says transformed her VA health care experience.
Using VA Video Connect, VA’s secure videoconferencing app, she takes virtual appointments with Dr. Felicia Gerfin, a VA clinical pharmacy specialist, from the comfort of her car.
“There’s no words to describe her,” she said about Gerfin. “She’s just amazing.”
TelePharmacy connects Veterans to specialists
VA’s TelePharmacy program connects Veterans who live in rural areas, or areas without a pharmacy specialist, to remote providers. Available in selected areas across the country, the program helps ensure that Veterans receive specialized pharmaceutical care.
For example, Gerfin, who lives in New York, is filling the gap for Veterans like Anne, who lives in Delaware.
When Anne first started meeting with Gerfin over a year ago, she wasn’t sure what to expect from a virtual appointment. However, it didn’t take long for her to be pleasantly surprised by how positive and personal the experience was.
“She gives you her full attention and I actually leave my appointments with Gerfin with a definitely positive feeling,” she said.
Anne doesn’t get reliable internet service at home, so she drives to the shopping center to use their free internet for these calls. This arrangement also allows her to run errands afterward, creating a convenient routine that she genuinely enjoys.
Trying telehealth options
Along with virtual appointments, Anne has been using My HealtheVet since its inception. She uses it to verify appointment times, refill her prescriptions and send secure messages to her VA care team.
When it comes to encouraging fellow Veterans to try VA’s telehealth options, Anne’s advice is simple: “Just go for it.”
“It’s an option that we have and it’s a good option,” she added.
Talk to your care team to see if VA TelePharmacy is right for you. For more information about telehealth services available to Veterans, visit the VA Telehealth Services website.
Author: Nikki Verbeck