Mobile Health Centers Deliver Medical Care to Rural Veterans

About 41 percent, or 3.3 million, veterans enrolled in the Veterans Affairs Department health system live far from a VA hospital, so last week the department added another 20 vehicles to its fleet of 50 mobile vet centers packed with sophisticated communications gear to bring medical care and other services to rural veterans.

VA Undersecretary for Health Robert Petzel, speaking at the Columbus, Ohio, plant of Farber Specialty Vehicles, which builds the mobile centers, said, "VA is committed to expanding access to VA health care and benefits for veterans and their families, and these 20 new vehicles demonstrate that continued commitment."

Alfonso Batres, chief of VA's Readjustment Counseling Service, which has oversight of the 300 fixed and 70 mobile vet centers, said the Very Small Aperture Satellite system installed in every mobile unit allows remote access to a range of the department's medical and benefit systems, including medical records stored in the Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture...