VA, BWWMH partner for telehealth initiative

For seven years the Veteran’s Administration mobile health unit traveled weekly to the parking lot of Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital to provide outpatient medical services to area veterans.

That changed Aug. 21 when VA healthcare workers moved inside the hospital to provide a more comfortable setting for their clients without having to rely on a sometimes unreliable van.

“Everything seems to be working well,” said Damon Stevenson, public affairs officer for the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center.

The VA and the hospital began working on the move about a year ago, said Stevenson. The major project was installing the telehealth hookup so that the nursing staff and patients can interact with physicians at the Tuscaloosa facility.

The clinic meets primary care and mental health needs of its veteran population with two Registered Nurses and a Licensed Practical Nurse.

Through the telehealth set up, doctors in Tuscaloosa can examine a patient’s heart, lungs and other vital signs, Stevenson continued. If more in-depth examination is needed, the patient will be referred to the VA Hospital or other healthcare providers.

“If there’s something they need, we’ll make sure they get it,” he said.

The VA service is set up in the Outpatient Unit of the hospital where there is a designated area for patients to wait instead of having to sit in their cars. The VA travels to Demopolis every Tuesday, except the fourth Tuesday of the month. Operating hours are 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

“We’ve got a pretty good veteran population” in the area, said Stevenson. At last count there were 137 registered with the VA.

He encouraged veterans to make an appoint to see the staff at BWWMH, but no one will be turned away. Veterans can visit the clinic to sign up for the VA Health Care System.