iPad Apps Provide Mobile Tools for Military Veterans’ Caregivers

by Brian T. Horowitz

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.