VA’s Office of Connected Care has announced a new mobile app that allows veterans, wherever they are, to exchange text messages with a VA health care team. The platform is a user-friendly one in which veterans can receive virtual health care from caring staff. 

Functions include medical advice regarding minor illnesses or injuries such as congestion, rashes, or stomach aches. Also possible are the scheduling of appointments, questions about prescriptions or refilling them, and deliberations about whether the veteran should be seen in person.

Veterans can chat with a VA Health Care professional Monday through Friday, from 8:00am until 4:00pm in most locations. Some locations are available 24/7. For a secure experience, it is necessary to log in with VA-supported credentials using the My HealtheVet Premium, the DS login, or the ID.me account. More information about upgrading to My HealtheVet Premium is available here.

To use the new service, download the VA Health Chat app from the VA Mobile app store, the Apple App Store, or the Google Play store. For additional details about the app and a list of locations offering health chats nationwide, click here.