VA TeleTBI connects Veterans to brain injury care
The Department of Veterans Affairs has expanded its TeleTBI program nationwide, allowing veterans with traumatic brain injuries to receive specialized care remotely through secure video appointments. What began in 2017 as a small initiative to serve veterans in Hawaii has now helped more than 5,000 veterans access brain injury specialists regardless of where they live. Dr. Mi-Hyon Cho, a brain injury specialist at VA Hudson Valley Healthcare System who helped build the program, now regularly connects with veterans from her New York office while they participate from home or work.
Traumatic brain injury remains one of the signature wounds of recent military conflicts, affecting veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as those from earlier eras. TBI can cause persistent symptoms including headaches, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances, and mood changes that significantly impact daily life. Many veterans live far from VA medical centers with specialized TBI clinics, creating barriers to receiving the expert evaluation and ongoing care these complex injuries require. The shortage of TBI specialists at some VA facilities has historically meant long wait times or the need to travel considerable distances for appointments.
The TeleTBI program addresses these access challenges by connecting veterans with brain injury specialists through VA Video Connect, the department's secure videoconferencing platform. Veterans can complete comprehensive TBI evaluations remotely, during which clinicians obtain detailed injury histories, administer the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory, and conduct focused physical examinations to determine whether diagnostic criteria are met. The care team then develops individualized treatment recommendations and helps connect veterans to appropriate specialty providers, whether through virtual care or in-person services when available. This approach allows VA facilities to collaborate across geographic boundaries, with specialists from one location providing care to veterans enrolled at facilities without dedicated TBI providers.
The program prioritizes keeping veterans within the VA system where providers can access complete medical histories and coordinate care more effectively. When a veteran's local VA facility becomes fully staffed with a TBI specialty provider, the TeleTBI team ensures smooth transitions including warm handoffs to maintain continuity and veteran comfort. Veterans using the service report high satisfaction rates, largely because they can access specialized care from home without travel burdens. The program also works to reduce missed appointments through reminder systems and engagement support, recognizing that consistent follow-through is essential for TBI recovery.
For disabled veterans already navigating the VA system for service-connected conditions, TeleTBI represents an important expansion of accessible specialty care. Many veterans with TBI ratings face ongoing symptoms that require expert management, and telehealth removes geographic and logistical barriers that might otherwise prevent them from receiving optimal treatment. The program demonstrates how virtual care can complement in-person services while maintaining the quality and coordination that veterans with complex conditions need. All VA facilities now provide virtual TBI services, ensuring that location no longer determines access to specialized assessment and treatment.
Veterans interested in TeleTBI services should discuss the option with their VA care team during their next appointment or when seeking evaluation for brain injury symptoms. Those already receiving TBI care can ask whether virtual appointments might better fit their schedules and reduce travel requirements. The program is available to veterans enrolled in VA healthcare regardless of their current location or the specialty resources at their local facility. Veterans can also visit the VA Telehealth Services website for general information about virtual care options across all specialties, or contact their local VA medical center to learn specifically about TBI telehealth availability.