Health benefits for veterans

Veterans across the country are realising the benefits of a specialised health program which helps them manage chronic illness, with 13,000 veterans now enrolled in the Coordinated Veterans’ Care (CVC) program.

Introduced in May last year, the CVC program is a targeted initiative to help chronically ill veterans and war widows receive the treatment they need and reduce the likelihood of stressful and unplanned hospitalisations.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Warren Snowdon, visited an Armidale general practice last week to hear firsthand how the program is helping local veterans more than 12 months on.

“It is pleasing to see the number of veterans benefiting from CVC, to help them remain independent and in control of their chronic illnesses.

“A strength of the CVC Program is the team approach by the patient, their general practitioner and their nurse coordinator,” Mr Snowdon said.

Dr Vicki Howell, one of 2,655 GPs across the country supporting the CVC Program, outlined how the program is being delivered to veterans in the Armidale area.

“Together with the care coordinator, a plan is worked out for each patient, recognising their individual health needs.  The care coordinator, often a practice nurse, helps patients to better understand their illnesses so they can more actively manage their health needs. 

“The care coordinator is also in regular contact with the patient’s specialists and local pharmacists, ensuring they’re all uptodate with any changes in their patients’ health conditions or treatment regimes. This is all reported back to the GP who can monitor patient progress,” Dr Howell said.

The CVC Program provides communitybased health care for eligible Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card holders who have heart or lung conditions and/or diabetes, complex care needs and are at risk of hospitalisation. 

Armidale will be one of the six sites for the In-Home Telemonitoring for Veterans’ Trial next year. This initiative, which uses the National Broadband Network, enables CVC patients to have their health monitored by a GP or practice nurse without leaving their home.

For more information about CVC and the In-Home Telemonitoring for Veterans’ Trial, visit www.dva.gov.au