“ You have to give it time and keep the lines of communication open. You’re not going to get a magic pill. You have to do the work .” —Mark Doyle, Navy veteran “DAV has long advocated for expansions to e-health and telemedicine options, knowing not only what a tremendous benefit it can be to severely disabled and rural veterans as well as those who have experienced trauma, but also how cost-effective it is for the VA,” said Deputy National Legislative Director Adrian Atizado. “In fact, it’s something DAV members have established as a priority for us legislatively through the resolution process, so we know it’s important to them.” Veterans might think sessions would be less personal in that environment, but research has shown there’s no difference. “It’s still a working alliance,” said Hessinger. “Some veterans report greater satisfaction because they didn’t have to drive in.” Additionally, smartphone applications are also working to enhance the health care landscape. “When my treatment began, I was using lists and writing everything down, and at the end of the day I would have seven or eight lists,” said Doyle. “For someone with memory problems, it became frustrating and confusing, because I had to manage all my lists and remember where they were.” The information and tracking activities with lists and notes were overwhelming for Doyle. Working with Hessinger, Doyle is using smart apps to help with multiple issues, harnessing the power of technology to monitor pain, anxiety, sleep therapy and memory problems. With Migraine Buddy, Doyle can track this migraine triggers. He can track responses to situations with CPT Coach. He can practice guided relaxation exercises with Mindfulness Coach. All of these resources are right at his fingertips on his phone. “Notes are time-and date-stamped, so I can easily reference them instead of having to dig through piles of notes,” said Doyle. “We’d give out a lot of binders to clients for homework, exercises and journaling between sessions,” said Hessinger. “But people can lose binders or stuff them in the back seat of the car and forget about them until it’s time for the next session. Our phones are always with us. The apps can allow clients to have to access their work and set reminders.” Doyle encourages his fellow veterans to try telehealth and available applications if they are concerned about missing appointments. “You have to give it time and keep the lines of communication open,” said Doyle. “You’re not going to get a magic pill. You have to do the work.” While Doyle said he’s not where he wants to be and says he has a long way to go, he has hope for the future after overcoming so many obstacles. ■ There are many mobile apps available to help patients with traumatic brain injuries. Breathe2Relax is an app that combines breathing exercises with calming scenes and sounds. DAV | @DAVHQ | DAVHQ | COMPANY/DAVHQ | DAVETERANS | DISABLEDVETERANS 29