The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced the release of VA Launchpad for Veterans on Aug. 13, and news about the new mobile application is spreading fast.

Designed to save Veterans and their Caregivers time online, the app simplifies and organizes several existing VA tools and resources into one convenient location to help manage health care needs.

"VA has developed dozens of apps for Veterans to take charge of their health care," said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. "VA Launchpad makes it easier to have these important tools available at your fingertips."

VA Launchpad arranges all of VA's apps into five categories: health management, health care team communication, vital health information sharing, mental health improvement and quality of life improvement. This blog on VAntage Point lists and summarizes the apps currently available through VA Launchpad.

Nextgov.com, a Government Executive Media Group publication, also quickly picked up on the news of this app release. In the Aug. 15 article, Connected Care Director of Web and Mobile Solutions Shawn Hardenbrook explained, "Veterans are seeking more ways to manage their care and we want them to have the right tools, specifically tailored to their unique needs."

As new VA apps become available, they will automatically be made available in the Launchpad.

"There are many new apps being piloted across the country right now," Hardenbrook said. "Our goal is to continue to find and develop the best solutions for Veterans."

VA Launchpad for Veterans is available for download in the Apple App Store and Google Play. To access VA's secure apps within VA Launchpad, users must be a VA patient and have one of the following accounts: Premium My HealtheVet, DS Logon Level 2 (Premium) or ID.me.