Veterans experiencing chronic pain now have greater access to pain management services through the new virtual TelePain programs being built at multiple VA health care systems. Thanks to TelePain programs, Veterans who are home-bound or live in rural locations can access care from home without the hassle of a long, painful trip to the nearest VA medical center.
The new TelePain programs use a patient-centered approach, virtually connecting Veterans with interdisciplinary teams to address all aspects of pain management. These include mental health care, occupational therapy, nutrition, and medication. From their homes, Veterans collaborate with their pain management teams using telehealth tools to set goals for a better quality of life, track progress, and more.
One Veteran-participant, a below-knee amputee wounded in the Vietnam War, said, “What the TelePain services have done for me in the last few weeks is more than what’s been done in the last ten years. I feel like things are moving in a positive direction.”
