The Oscar G Johnson VA Medical Center opened its Virtual Resource center.

IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. (WLUC) - The Oscar G Johnson VA Medical Center has opened its Virtual Resource Center.

The center takes calls from veterans and helps them navigate the many digital resources available to VA patients. Patients can pay bills, find medical records, and even video call their doctors online through VA Video Connect and the My Healthy Vet website.

VA Volunteer Glenn Costie says these virtual services help families care for veteran family members.

“When we ask how my father-in-law’s visit was, he’ll frequently just say oh everything’s fine,” said Costie. “And we learned through the medical record that we could get access to remotely, that there were some things he was supposed to be working on.”

Oscar G Johnson Medical Center Telehealth RN Katie Chartier says veterans should never feel embarrassed about calling the resource center for assistance.

“Veterans come from eighteen to over a hundred,” said Chartier. “So we have veterans and family members, even staff members of all ages that look for assistance with the applications.”

Chartier says connecting veterans to their care is critical. “Being able to assist the veterans with their care and make sure they have the access and knowledge that they need to make the best decisions for their care is vital,” said Chartier.

The Virtual Resource Center is currently open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with plans to expand its hours to the rest of the week.

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