Vet Tech Center Serves as Tech Support for Veterans and Staff

VTCs offer in-person and virtual resources to Veterans and VA staff who want to learn about virtual care tools; get help setting up and troubleshooting virtual care tools; and find VA technologies to meet their needs and interests. They are part of VA’s Virtual Health Resource Center program.

“We opened the Vet Tech Center for all things telehealth in the atrium of the University Drive campus,” said Edward Briones, Air Force Veteran and VA Pittsburgh’s Connected Care manager.

The VTC had been operating off a folding table in the atrium until this summer, when the medical center moved it into a renovated, permanent space.

The VTC concept is based on the kind of face-to-face assistance many technology stores and communication providers offer their customers. Veterans and their families can simply stop by during business hours for assistance. VA Pittsburgh’s telehealth committee discussed the idea as a way to provide Veterans with hands-on technical support that could supplement virtual health care.

Previously, if a Veteran needed help with VA apps or the technology used to receive virtual care, they would call a national help line. The national help line would relay the Veteran’s request to VA Pittsburgh staff, who would then provide face-to-face support.

 “The VTC is very unique in that a Veteran can simply walk up and ask for assistance or inquire about available services,” said Briones.

VTC staff offer technical support to Veterans who use personal or government-provided iPads, tablets, smartphones or laptops. They help Veterans learn how to attend virtual appointments or access VA apps such as My HealtheVet, Annie and PTSD Coach.

Staff also show Veterans how to use technology for secure messaging and Remote Patient Monitoring - Home Telehealth. They even work with providers and clinicians who want to improve how they conduct virtual appointments or use store-and-forward technologies to serve Veterans.

While VA Pittsburgh has been providing virtual care options for many years, the COVID-19 pandemic served as the catalyst for launching the VTC. The need for technical support for both Veterans and providers became critical when COVID prevented easy access to face-to-face appointments. The number of virtual encounters at VA Pittsburgh during respective second quarters increased from 15,000 in 2020 prior to the pandemic to over 70,000 in 2021 during the pandemic.

Since opening in a limited capacity last October, the VTC has continuously expanded operations and availability. Veterans can bring their own personal devices to the center for help, or they can take home printed instructions on how to troubleshoot common problems.  

The VTC has helped over 300 Veterans learn how to use their devices to access VA health care securely, download VA software, perform virtual test calls, and connect to their VA providers. Many more Veterans have stopped by simply to inquire about services or ask general questions about Connected Care.

In addition to one-on-one training, VTC staff plan to offer in-person and virtual small group training sessions. The team also has plans for a more developed setup and longer business hours each week.

Veterans can stop by the VTC weekdays from 10 a.m.–1 p.m., except federal holidays. For help by phone, they can contact Connected Care Call Center at 412-360-6961 on weekdays from 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.