Description
Real-Time Access to Your VA Care Team Through VA Video Connect
VA Video Connect allows Veterans and their caregivers to quickly and easily meet with VA health care providers through live video on any computer, tablet, or mobile device with an internet connection.
Need Help? VA can help you get set up or troubleshoot technical problems. Call the Office of Connected Care Help Desk at (866) 651-3180 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Test your device. Visit the VA Video Connect test site to test your microphone and speakers. To test on your mobile device, text ‘V’ to 83293 or 323-621-3589. Standard text messaging rates may apply. You can also ask your VA care team for a practice session.
Talk with your VA provider about using VA Video Connect if:
- You live far from your VA facility or have limited access to VA facilities.
- You have health conditions that make traveling to the VA specialist you need difficult.
- You lack time to regularly attend in-person appointments.
- You don’t require a hands-on physical examination.
Download VA Video Connect brochure.
Features:
- Participate in secure video appointments with your VA providers
- Chat with your VA care team
Get Started with VA Video Connect
- Talk with your VA health care team about using VA Video Connect. If you are interested in receiving care through VA Video Connect, speak with your VA care team to decide if it is right for you.
You can use the VA facility locator to find your nearest VA Medical Center by entering your city, state, or ZIP code, then selecting “VA Health” from the facility drop-down menu. VA Telehealth is based out of your nearest VA Medical Center, not Community-Based Outpatient Clinics or Vet Centers.
- Get set up. Once you make an appointment to meet with your VA provider through VA Video Connect, you will receive an email notification from VA with instructions. On the date and time of your appointment, open VA Video Connect by selecting your appointment link included in the email you received.
- Windows and macOS. VA Video Connect opens automatically in a web browser on Windows, macOS, and Android devices after clicking the link in your email.
Personal Computer/Laptop
Android
- Android. New VA Video Connect Android app 1.0 released. The new VA Video Connect for Android app provides a user experience optimized for Android. To install: Android users can search for VA Video Connect on Google Play and then download it for free. VA Video Connect will continue to open in Android device web browsers if the Android app is not installed.
- Apple iPad and iPhone. For VVC sessions that require the use of VA peripheral devices such as BP Monitor, thermometer, scale, Pulse Ox, Eko Duo Stethoscope, the VA app is required. Visit the Apple App Store and search for “VA Video Connect". For VVC sessions that do not include the use of VA peripherals, the VVC app is recommended but not required. If a device does not have the VVC app installed, the device will launch VVC Web when joining a video visit. Note: Some email apps on iOS devices such as Gmail and Yahoo will need to be set to open the Safari browser for VA Video Connect to open.
iPhone
iPad
- Test your device. Visit the VA Video Connect test site to test your microphone and speakers. To test on your mobile device, text ‘V’ to 83293 or 323-621-3589. Standard text messaging rates may apply. You can also ask your VA care team for a practice session.
VA Video Connect Instructions for Patients
Time: 2:37 minutes
VA Video Connect Demonstration
Time: 00:57 seconds
VA Video Connect Troubleshooting Tips
Time: 4:31 minutes
With Veterans and VA care teams using VA Video Connect more than ever before, Connected Care Communications produced a new video that offers troubleshooting tips for VA Video Connect to address common technical difficulties and help foster long-term adoption of the video telehealth tool. The 4-minute video provides tips to troubleshoot and resolve each of seven main issues that users commonly face:
- Tip 1: I can’t find my VA Video Connect appointment email. (0:11)
- Tip 2: My appointment link won’t work. (0:42)
- Tip 3: The virtual medical room page won’t load in the browser. (1:18)
- Tip 4: The virtual medical room takes a long time to load. (1:51)
- Tip 5: I cannot hear or speak to my provider. (2:20)
- Tip 6: I cannot see myself or my provider on the screen. (3:09)
- Tip 7: The video picture freezes or audio cuts in and out. (3:47)
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VA Needs Your Feedback!
- Android. New VA Video Connect Android app 1.0 released. The new VA Video Connect for Android app provides a user experience optimized for Android. To install: Android users can search for VA Video Connect on Google Play and then download it for free. VA Video Connect will continue to open in Android device web browsers if the Android app is not installed.
- Windows and macOS. VA Video Connect opens automatically in a web browser on Windows, macOS, and Android devices after clicking the link in your email.
Description
Annie is a VA service that sends automated text messages to Veterans to help them stay focused on their self-care. This might include health related notifications, reminders, or motivational messages. Annie also empowers Veterans to play an active role in their care, by prompting them to provide health data such as weight or blood pressure. Thousands of Veterans successfully use Annie to stay healthy and on track in meeting their wellness goals. Anyone with a phone that can send and received text messages can use Annie.
Annie is to support self-care. While VA health care teams can view messages that are sent to Annie, they will not actively be reviewing them, and cannot respond in Annie. Therefore, Annie cannot be used:
- for an emergency or crisis; instead, CALL 911 or the VA crisis line immediately.
- to try to text your VA health care team about specific health issues; instead, contact your VA health care team directly.
- if a response from your VA health care team is needed; instead, contact your VA health care team directly if you need an answer to a question.
- to view medical information or records; instead, view medical records in MyHealtheVet.
The Annie App accesses your personal information from the VA Electronic Health Record. For your security, Annie requires you to use ID.me, DS Logon or My HealtheVet account credentials. Learn more about secure login.Instructions to register and select messages
To use Annie, you must first register online. The registration process is fast and easy and captures the basic information about you and your user preferences. The instructions below are a guide, but if you if you need additional assistance or have questions, the Health Resource Center can help you. They can be reached at 877-327-0022 and are open 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.
Step 1: Go to Annie for Veterans
Step 2: Select How You Would Prefer to Log In
Select your log in preference: My HealtheVet Premium, DS Logon Level 2, or ID.me. (Read more about secure account credentials or contact your VAMC and ask for the MyHealtheVet coordinator.)
Step 3: Consent To Participate
Read the entire end user license agreement. Once you have scrolled all the way down to the bottom, check the consent box indicating that you have given your consent to register. You will NOT be able to check the box if you do not scroll to the bottom of the agreement.
Step 4: Set Up Your Account
- Select Information Messages and find your VA Medical Center.
- Select any Topics of Interest to you. (We recommend keeping “general” selected at this time because that is how we can notify you of any changes to Annie. Other than that, this feature is not highly utilized, so you should not expect frequent messages on any topics you choose.)
- Review default Preferences for how you wish to interact with Annie.
- “Standard SMS Text Messaging” (preferred by most Veterans)
- No additional login required after registration
- Non secure and text messaging rates will apply
- or “Annie app”
- Non secure and text messaging rates will apply
- “Standard SMS Text Messaging” (preferred by most Veterans)
- Select Patient Info:
- Key in your mobile phone number twice
- Select your time zone
- Select Submit, which will take you to a “Registration Success!” screen.
Step 5: Confirm Participation
You will receive a message from Annie asking you to confirm your participation. You must reply with the word ‘Start' to complete the registration process:
If you chose to receive your messages via text – simply reply to Annie by typing the word ‘Start’ on your mobile phone. OR
If you chose to receive messages in the Annie app, refresh your browser, click on the Messages tab, and reply to Annie by typing the word ‘Start’. If you have logged out of Annie, you will need to log in again using your secure account credentials.
Step 6: Subscribe to an Annie Protocol
Once your registration in Annie is complete, there are a number of Annie protocols that you can subscribe to and use independently.
If you see one that interests you, text SUB in reply to 75338 or as a reply to any message from Annie. For example, to subscribe to Coronavirus Precautions, text SUB COVID.
| Protocol Name | Name of the Health Message (to text in Annie) | Protocol Description | Protocol Duration | Estimated weekly prompts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moving the Body Self-Subscribe | BODY | This protocol promotes health and wellness with education and motivation for Veterans to live a more active lifestyle. | 3 months | 3 |
| Medication Reminder Self-Subscribe | MED | This protocol provides daily medication reminders and establishes improved compliance with prescribed medication. Reminders can be set to fire multiple times daily. | 1 year | Up to 7 |
| ##COVID-19 Vaccination Support Protocol | COVAC | This protocol provides helpful information about the COVID19 vaccine including education on expected symptoms; when to call your care team about symptoms; links to VA and CDC resources; and multiple general reminders about receiving the second injection. This protocol is not specific to any one COVID-19 vaccine. | 30 days | 7 |
| Influenza Protocol^ver 2.1 | MyFlu | This protocol was developed to remind Veterans of the importance of vaccination to help protect themselves, friends and family members from influenza infection. It provides information on where Veterans can be vaccinated free of charge in their community pharmacies. | 1-6 weeks | 3 |
| Coronavirus Precautions | COVID | This protocol helps Veterans monitor for viral symptoms and assist them with when they should contact care teams or nurse triage lines for additional care. Provides education on precautions to take to help prevent contraction of the Coronavirus. | 2 months | 10 |
|
Coping during COVID-19 |
Cope |
This protocol helps Veterans who may struggle to cope with stress during the COVID-19 pandemic while cut off from their in-person social support systems. Veterans receive motivational/educational messages designed to help decrease feelings of anxiety, anger, depression and isolation; and increase social connection and empowerment. |
20 weeks | 3 |
| Tobacco Cessation | Tobacco | This protocol sends motivational messages to Veterans who are thinking about quitting, to help create a quit plan and set a quit date. | 1 month | 9 |
| Weight Management | Weight | This protocol provides daily healthy living reminders to exercise, count calories, and measure weight. It includes daily educational messages for weight management. | 1 month | 25 |
| Oncology Symptom Reporting | Care | This protocol allows Veterans with cancer and blood disorders to rate symptoms on a 0-10 scale at any time, on any day. Veterans receive advice texts based on their symptoms. Symptom reporting is linked to improved survival in cancer patients. | 1 Year | 5 |
| Stress Management | Stress | This protocol helps Veterans learn more about stress and how it affects us, receive encouragement about how they are coping, and practice simple strategies to manage stress, including breathing exercises, strategies to help take a break, information on setting boundaries, and mindfulness techniques. | 65 weeks | 3 |
| (Additional Annie Protocols) | There are a number of additional Annie protocols that focus on specific health conditions. To learn more about these protocols, contact your VA health care team and ask if there is one that is the right fit for you. | Depends on the Protocol | Depends on the Protocol |
Interacting with Annie
When Veterans register for Annie, they choose to receive and send self-care messages through text messaging or through the Annie app.
Interacting with Annie via (Standard SMS) Text Messaging:
- Veterans will receive text notifications, reminders and motivational messages directly on their mobile phone or smartphone (iOS and Android).
- Veterans will be prompted to send text messages directly into Annie on their mobile phone or smartphone, about their health readings (weight, blood pressure, etc.).
- If Veterans want to use additional features in Annie (message history, reports, schedule, preferences), they can navigate to Annie for Veterans and use their secure credentials to log in any time.
- Text messaging is not secure. Text messages on mobile phones can be read be anyone with access to your phone. Additionally, text messaging may have costs depending on your mobile phone plan.
Interacting with Annie via the Annie App:
- Some Veterans prefer the additional security of using the Annie app.
- When setting up their preferences, Veterans can choose to receive text notifications on their mobile phone alerting them that they have a new message in Annie.
- Veterans will not be able to interact with Annie through the text feature on their mobile phone. Instead, they will need to navigate to Annie for Veterans Annie for Veterans and use their credentials to check their messages or use any of Annie’s additional features:
- Veterans can read all Annie messages (new and old) or send Annie new messages.
- Veterans can see reports (charts and graphs) of the health data they have submitted into Annie.
- Veterans can subscribe to VA medical facility announcements and motivational messages.
- Veterans can start, stop, pause, and resume their Annie messages.
- Veterans can view and change account settings and update their mobile phone number.
Take Control of Your Health
Time: 1:51 minutes
Annie app for Veterans
Time: 1:51 minutes
Registering for Annie App for Veterans
Time: 4:45 minutes
Subscribe to Annie's Coronavirus Precautions Protocol
Time: 4:04 minutes
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Highlights
VA Needs Your Feedback!
Description
VA Online Scheduling accesses your VA Electronic Health Record and, for your security, requires you to enter ID.me, DS Logon or My HealtheVet account credentials. Learn moreVA Online Scheduling offers a secure, online way for you to request and self-schedule appointments at VA facilities and Community Care facilities. Within VA Online Scheduling, you can also view details about your upcoming appointments and download appointment data to your personal calendar. The appointments you can schedule online depend on your facility, the type of care you need, and other factors.
Note: This was formerly known as the Veteran Appointment Request (or VAR app).
VA Online Scheduling is not meant for emergency care.
If you feel you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call “911” or go to the nearest emergency room. You do not need a referral or approval from VA to go to a non-VA emergency room in your community.
If you have an urgent health concern, call your VA health facility’s advice nurse before going to a clinic or urgent care facility. Get the phone number for your VA health facility.
To protect your personal and health information, you’ll need to sign in with one of the below free accounts:
- A Premium My HealtheVet account, or
- A Premium DS Logon account (used for eBenefits and milConnect), or
- A verified ID.me account that you can create on VA.gov
Learn more about signing into VA apps.
To request an appointment through VA Online Scheduling, you must be:
- Enrolled in VA health care, and
- Scheduling your appointment with a VA health facility that uses online scheduling, and
- Registered at that facility, or you’ve had an appointment there before.
If you aren't able to use VA Online Scheduling, you can call the VA health facility where you want to receive care. Find your VA health facility's phone number.
Features:
- Schedule and request appointments at VA facilities online
- Request Community Care appointments
- View your upcoming appointments and video visits
- Cancel appointments if necessary
- Join video visits through VA Video Connect
- Look up past appointments from the last 2 years
- Download appointment information to your personal calendar
Request appointments online for the below types of care*:
- Amputation care (VA appointments)
- Audiology and speech (VA appointments and Community Care appointments for hearing aid support and audiology only)
- Eye care- Optometry and Ophthalmology (VA appointments and Community Care appointments for Optometry only)
- Mental health (VA appointments)
- MOVE! weight management program (VA appointments)
- Nutrition and food (VA and Community Care appointments)
- Pharmacy (VA Appointments)
- Podiatry (Community Care Appointments)
- Primary care (VA and Community Care Appointments)
- Sleep medicine
- Social work
*Online appointment availability is set by the local facility and all types of care listed above may not be available at all locations. Types of care available for online appointments will be visible upon log-in to VA Online Scheduling.
VAOS is available at every site except for:
- Indianapolis, IN
- Manila, Philippines
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VA Needs Your Feedback!
Description
Apps for Veterans that display a lock icon require DS Logon Level 2 (Premium) Account credentials because they connect to the VA Electronic Health Record (EHR). Get a DS Logon Level 2 (Premium) Account.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Launchpad helps Veterans and their Caregivers find and use VA apps. The VA Launchpad organizes VA apps and capabilities to help you more easily find the tools VA has made available for you. Links to new apps automatically appear in the VA Launchpad when they become available, making it simpler to find the resources needed to interact with VA. You can also provide feedback directly to VA within VA Launchpad. With VA Launchpad, VA intends to help you discover and integrate available VA apps into your life.
Both native apps and web app links are accessible in the VA Launchpad. Native apps are available for download through the Apple App Store or Google Play. Once you download a native app, you can open it directly from your device or from the VA Launchpad. Web apps will open and run in your device’s browser.
Apps you open from the VA Launchpad that access your electronic health Record (EHR) will require you to log in. These apps have a padlock symbol to indicate that credentials are required.
Features:
With VA Launchpad, you can access apps within these categories:
- Achieve Your Health Goals
- Improve Your Mental Health
- Connect With Your Care Team
- Manage Your Care
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Highlights
VA Needs Your Feedback!
Description
VA: Health and benefits accesses your VA Electronic Health Record and, for your security, requires you to enter ID.me, DS Logon or My HealtheVet account credentials. Learn more.Try the initial version of the official VA: Health and Benefits app from the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to manage existing VA claims and appointments and message with your VA health care providers.
You can also access common VA letters and update your VA.gov profile information.
Need help with this mobile app? Call 800-698-2411 (TTY: 711). We’re here 24/7.
Initial release features:
Biometric sign-in
- Take advantage of your phone’s built-in security features like fingerprint and face recognition to securely access the app.
Claims and appeals
- View claim status and submit additional evidence using your phone’s camera or by uploading documents.
Appointments
- View or cancel your VA medical appointments and easily add existing appointments to your phone’s calendar.
Secure messaging
- Send and receive messages from your VA health providers.
Letters
- Download common VA letters and documents.
- Benefit Summary and Service Verification Letter
- Proof of Service Card
- Commissary Letter
- And more
Profile
- View and update your VA.gov profile, including your contact information and direct deposit information for disability compensation and pension benefits.
Facility locator
- Find VA facilities nearest to you.
Veterans Crisis Line
- Get quick access to the VA Crisis Line.
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VA Needs Your Feedback!
Description
Beyond MST was designed to help people heal from sexual assault or harassment during military service, also called military sexual trauma (MST). The app is a free, secure, and private self-help tool that survivors can use at their own pace in their recovery. It features over 30 specialized tools to help users build skills to cope with problems, manage symptoms, and improve their quality of life. Users can set self-care goals, track their recovery progress, and learn more about MST and common concerns that survivors experience. Users can also learn more about important sources of support for MST survivors and find inspiration to continue on their recovery journeys. This app can be used by people who are in mental health treatment and those who are not. No account or password is required, no identifiable data is collected, and there is an option to enable a PIN lock for extra privacy. You are not alone: the Beyond MST app can help.
Need help with this mobile app? Send email to MobileMentalHealth@va.gov.
Beyond MST was made by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Mobile Mental Health team at the National Center for PTSD, Dissemination and Training Division in collaboration with the National Center for PTSD, Women’s Health Sciences Division and the national VA MST Support Team.
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VA Needs Your Feedback!
Description
VA’s Live Whole Health app is a free, easy to use tool created for Veterans and others who are ready to take the next step in their Whole Health journey. Whole Health is VA’s holistic approach to care that supports your health and well-being. Whole Health centers care around what matters to you, not what is the matter with you. With this app, you can fill out your personal health inventory, set goals, and learn more about Whole Health.
The Live Whole Health app is not meant to replace professional care.
For help with this app, please contact us here Send Email.
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VA Needs Your Feedback!
Description
Couples Coach is designed for partners who want to improve their relationship and explore new ways to connect. The app takes users through five levels of expert-written education and engaging behavioral exercises informed by science. Popular exercises like Using I Messages and Active Listening are brought to life in a dynamic and interactive format.
Couples Coach pairs up partners as they explore assessments and share results, learn about different approaches to common relationship issues and review available resources in their communities. It also includes comprehensive relationship information for couples living with PTSD.
Although Couples Coach can help improve communication and satisfaction in your relationship, it isn’t a replacement for face-to-face couples counseling. The app features a couples counseling locator for finding a professional counselor along with several other local and national resources. Learn more about how to find a good couples therapist and take your relationship to the next level.
Couples Coach was made by the Mobile Mental Health team of the National Center for PTSD, Dissemination & Training Division.
This app is the first of its kind, and continued development is in progress. This first trial release presents a unique opportunity for users to try the beta version and share feedback to improve the app. To suggest enhancements and share issues encountered, Join our design team!
Need help with this mobile app? Send email to MobileMentalHealth@va.gov.
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VA Needs Your Feedback!
Description
The Insomnia Coach app was created for everyone, including Veterans and Service members, to help manage insomnia. The app is based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I).
Need help with this app? Send email to MobileMentalHealth@va.gov.
Features
- Guided, weekly training plan to help you track and improve sleep
- Sleep coach with tips for sleeping and personal feedback about your sleep
- Interactive sleep diary to help you keep track of daily changes
- 17 tools to help you get your sleep back on track
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VA Needs Your Feedback!
Description
The COVID Coach app was created for everyone, including Veterans and Servicemembers, to support self-care and overall mental health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
COVID Coach is available in English and Spanish. To switch the language, go to the Menu > Personalize, and then select the language using the picker at the bottom of the screen.
Need help with this mobile app? Send email to MobileMentalHealth@va.gov.
Features:
- Education about coping during the pandemic
- Tools for self-care and to improve emotional well-being
- Trackers to check your mood and measure your growth toward personal goals
- Graphs to visualize progress over time
How to Use COVID Coach
COVID Coach can be used as a stand-alone education and self-care tool, or as a supplement to professional mental health care. You can mark your favorite coping tools and track your mental health over time. Set reminders to visit the app each day and work toward your goals. The app can also help you create your own personal support network.
Several of the questionnaires used in COVID Coach, including the PTSD Checklist (PCL-5), are reliable and valid self-report measures used across VA, Department of Defense (DoD), and the community, but they are not intended to replace professional evaluation.
