iPad Apps Provide Mobile Tools for Military Veterans' Caregivers
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The Department of Veterans Affairs is working on a yearlong pilot to see how iPads help more than 1,000 family caregivers tend to injured post-9/11 veterans. The department has distributed 900 iPads to caregivers, and it's developing mobile apps to help veterans manage their care. These apps include a journaling tool that allows caregivers to track vital signs and patient-generated data, as well as a summary-of-care app that enables veterans and their caregivers to view lab results, medications, allergies, and information on past and upcoming appointments. The VA will study the use of the apps to see how they affect caregivers' stress levels, according to the agency. "The goal is to better support the caregivers in their difficult job of providing care," Kathleen Frisbee, director of Web and mobile solutions in the Veterans Health Administration, told eWEEK. The VA will issue its first report in six months and a final report in a year regarding how effective the apps are in reducing caregivers' burdens. In addition, the VA will study how use of the iPad affects admissions, the amount of outpatient and emergency room visits, as well as clinic no-show rates, Frisbee said. Here eWEEK takes a look at the iPad apps the VA has built and how they might help caregivers.
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iPad Apps Provide Mobile Tools for Military Veterans' Caregivers
by Brian T. Horowitz
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Launch Pad Provides Access to Apps
Launchpad comes preinstalled on the 900 iPads provided by the VA for use in the caregiver pilot. It allows users to access the VA's mobile health apps.
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Health Advocate App Enables Remote Provisioning
With the VA's Health Advocate app, veterans can designate a person such as a caregiver to view their health information and enter information on their behalf. The health advocate can enter a patient's data such driver's license number and basic info to enable remote provisioning of the individual.
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VA Provides Stress Coping Tips
Care4Caregivers provides a way for caregivers to self-assess their levels of stress. It also offers stress-coping tips as well as community resources. The VA is conducting a study on how caregivers can reduce stress and burden levels through technology.
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VA PTSDCoach Helps Manage Stress
PTSDCoach is an app that allows veterans to manage symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Veterans can perform self-assessments and receive tips on managing their symptoms and stress levels, based on their score.
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Veterans Share a Summary of Care
The VA's Summary of Care app enables veterans and caregivers to monitor their health over time. Veterans can carry the information, and show it on their iPad to clinicians outside the VA or to family members, Frisbee noted. "It makes the information very sharable," she said.
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Secure Messaging From One Provider to Another
The VA's secure-messaging app allows veterans to connect with their care team on "non-urgent issues." In the health care industry, services such as Verizon's Secure Universal Message Services allow providers to securely send messages and share clinical data from one caregiver to another.
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iPad App Prompts for Rx Refills
Veterans and caregivers can request refills and track them on their Apple tablet. Users can view eligible prescriptions and use the VA Mail Order Pharmacy to submit refill requests. As part of the VA pilot, the iPad helps veterans with their medication by allowing them to view and refill them and receive notification on when to take them, Frisbee said.
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Reminders App Pushes Notifications to Keep Vets Organized
The reminders app allows veterans to receive notifications on their medications, such as start date, medication schedule and a reminder on frequency. It also keeps veterans on track to meet treatment goals. A new feature not yet completed will allow the primary care team to send notifications to caregivers using the notification app, Frisbee said.
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Journaling About Communications and Vitals
The e-journaling app allows caregivers to compile basic vitals such as blood pressure, temperature, height and weight. It also allows patients to keep track of communications, such as whom they last spoke with at the medical center, Frisbee said. The journaling app differs from electronic health records (EHRs) because it's the patient's personal journal, she said. "It's displayed in a way that makes it immediately consumable by the veteran and the caregiver," Frisbee said.
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Assessing the Readiness of a Caregiver
The self-assessment iPad app allows the VA to determine how well-prepared the caregivers are to treat veterans by having them answer multiple-choice questions. It enables the VA to seek feedback from caregivers on a secure platform.
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