Physician Attitudes About Veterans Affairs Video Connect Encounters

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Technology
• Telemedicine
• Veterans Affairs

Background:

• The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) introduced VA Video Connect (VVC) in 2018 to facilitate remote consultations.
• This study examines physician perspectives on VVC within the VA New Mexico Healthcare System (VANMHCS).

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess physician practices, concerns, and perceptions regarding VA Video Connect (VVC) encounters.
• To identify barriers and facilitators for the widespread adoption of video telehealth.

Main Methods:

• Semistructured interviews were conducted with 13 Medicine Service Physicians from VANMHCS who had prior VVC experience.
• A qualitative, open-coding approach was used to analyze interview data, identifying key themes deductively and inductively.

Main Results:

• Key themes included challenges with VVC software and internet connectivity.
• Physician and veteran technological literacy impacted VVC usability and comfort.
• While VVC can enhance access, especially for geographically isolated veterans, in-person visits retain unique advantages.

Conclusions:

• Physicians perceive VVC as a valuable tool for improving veteran access to care, particularly for those facing geographical barriers.
• Recommendations include enhancing the VVC user interface, addressing technical issues, providing user education, and integrating supportive measures for optimal clinical video telehealth (CVT) utilization.