Closing the distance: Virtual visits connect Veterans to timely brain injury care

For many Veterans, getting care for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be hard, especially if they live far from a specialist. That’s where VA Telehealth Services and TeleTBI are making a difference.

Dr. Mi-Hyon Cho, a brain injury specialist for the VA Hudson Valley Healthcare System, helped build VA Hudson Valley’s TeleTBI program to provide TBI care to Veterans no matter where they live.

“We’ve been doing the TeleTBI program since 2017,” she said. “I can be sitting in my office here in New York and am connecting with Veterans from wherever they are, at work or at home.” 

Care regardless of distance

TeleTBI connects Veterans with specialists through VA Video Connect, VA’s secure videoconferencing app. This means Veterans can get care faster, even if their local VA facility does not have a provider specializing in brain injury treatment.

“Veterans love it,” Cho shared.

What started as a small effort to support Veterans in Hawaii quickly grew into a nationwide program. Today, the program has helped more than 5,000 Veterans. Telehealth also helps VA facilities work together. If one site doesn’t have a specialist, another VA facility can step in.

“If we can take care of Veterans and collaborate with other sites, we can provide better care,” Cho said.

This teamwork keeps Veterans within the VA system, where providers can see their full medical history and better coordinate care. Once a Veteran’s local VA facility becomes fully staffed with a TBI specialty provider, the TeleTBI team ensures a smooth transition of care, including a warm handoff to support continuity and Veteran comfort.

How virtual care works

A comprehensive TBI evaluation via TeleTBI is completed through VA Video Connect, allowing clinicians to obtain a detailed history of the injury event and related symptoms, a Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI), and a focused physical examination to determine whether the criteria for a TBI diagnosis are met. The care team then develops individualized treatment recommendations. The TeleTBI program then helps connect the Veteran to the right specialty providers, including virtual care or in-person care when available.

High satisfaction, real results

Veterans using TeleTBI report high satisfaction rates, often because care is easier to access and can be done from home.

“We are nearing a 5 out of 5,” Cho said.

The program also works hard to reduce missed visits. TeleTBI staff remind Veterans about appointments and help them stay engaged.

“The Veteran is our center,” she continued. “We need a strong support system to make this work.”

A growing future for telehealth

All VA facilities now provide virtual services for TBI evaluation and ongoing care, ensuring Veterans can access specialized assessment and treatment regardless of their location.

“Continuity of care is important,” Cho added.

By connecting Veterans to the right providers, no matter the distance between Veteran and specialist, telehealth is helping Veterans get timely care and stay on track with their recovery.

Talk to your VA care team to learn more about TeleTBI. To learn more about telehealth at VA, visit the VA Telehealth Services website.