The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Video Connect mobile application (app) enables you to connect to a virtual medical room. In the virtual medical room, you participate in video health care visits where a hands-on physical examination is not required. You access your provider on a scheduled date and time – just like a face-to-face meeting in a clinic exam room.

By providing fast, easy, encrypted, real-time access to care in the virtual medical room, VA Video Connect makes it easier for you to choose where you’d like to receive services. By connecting to the virtual medical room through the app, you can see and talk to your VA care team from anywhere, making appointments more convenient and reducing travel and wait times.

To use the VA Video Connect App, you must:

• Be enrolled in VA health care.
• Have an email account where the link to the virtual medical room can be sent and accessed to start the video appointment.
• If you want to log in while waiting to join your scheduled encounter, you must have a DS Logon Level 2 (Premium) Account. Logging in enables you to see upcoming appointments and to verify and modify personal and emergency contact information.
• If you are using an iOS device, you must install the iOS VA Video Connect App from iTunes before joining your encounter. NOTE: Using VA Video Connect on anything other than an iOS (Apple) device does not require an app download. The session will automatically open in a web browser when the visit link is selected.

VA Video Connect will work on nearly any device that has an internet connection; a web camera, microphone, and speakers (either internal or attached); and a web browser. For example, the app will work on PCs, laptops, iOS mobile devices, Android mobile devices, and Windows mobile devices.

If you are using an Apple mobile device, such as an iPhone or iPad, you will need to download the free VA Video Connect iOS app from the App Store. Use this link to find more information on downloading the app for your iOS device. No download is needed for non-iOS/Apple devices.

This depends on how long the session is. If possible, connect over Wi-Fi if you have a limited data plan. Talk to your cell phone service carrier if you have questions about data costs and usage.

No, VA Video Connect will work over most lower-bandwidth connections, including cellular data connections, although the quality of the video may be reduced. If cellular data is used, a 3G or 4G connection with at least two (2) connection bars is recommended.

Yes, only invited participants can join a virtual medical room for a visit within VA Video Connect. Participants can always see who has joined. And further, the VA provider can lock the room once all invited participants have arrived, such that no-one else can come.

Yes, VA Video Connect’s virtual medical rooms allow for multiple participants.

To enter the virtual medical room, you will need only the link that is sent to you by email. However, you can log in with your DS Logon Level 2 (Premium) account username and password to access advanced and personalized features.

Veterans and health care providers jointly decide whether to use VA Video Connect for a medical visit. Once your care team begins offering visits using the VA Video Connect application, you should discuss its use with your provider.

When a VA Video Connect session is scheduled, you will receive an email with a link to join the virtual medical room. The email also includes additional resources to help you learn about and use VA Video Connect. At the time of your appointment, you simply click on the link, enter your name, and launch the session.

No, you cannot use the same link for all VA Video Connect sessions. You will receive a new email invitation to join the virtual medical room for each session. The link in that email should be used.

Appointment confirmations with instructions and links are sent when the appointment is scheduled. You will not receive a reminder with this information. It is recommended that you follow instructions in the email to add the appointment and session information to your calendar. Additionally, you can set up an email folder to save all VA Video Connect invitations so that they are easy to find at the time of your appointment.

To test, visit the VA Video Connect test site on your mobile device.

Click on the link in the email invite you received via email (or saved to your calendar). The appointment will begin when your provider arrives.

If attending a scheduled visit, the waiting room will be available 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of your meeting.

See below for links to additional guidance on how to access VA Video Connect on different browsers and devices:

• Android device
• iOS device
• Google Chrome browser
• Internet Explorer browser

Yes. To send a message by text to your provider while in the video appointment, type your message, and press Enter on your keypad to chat via text with your provider. To hide the Chat Room, tap the down arrow. To unhide the Chat Room, tap the up arrow.

To mute your microphone so your provider cannot hear your audio, tap the microphone icon. A slash through the microphone icon will appear indicating that your microphone is muted. Tap the microphone icon to remove the slash and unmute yourself so your provider can hear your audio.

To hide your video feed so that your provider cannot see you, tap the video camera icon. A slash through the video icon will appear indicating that your video feed is hidden. Tap the video icon to remove the slash and unhide your video feed so your provider can see you.

To exit the video meeting with your provider, tap the red circle with the phone icon. A pop-up Leave Session box will appear. Tap Yes, Leave to leave, or tap No to return to the video meeting. You will go back to the VA Video Connect Login screen after logging out.

VA Mobile Health is a program to improve Veterans’ health by providing technologies to expand care beyond the traditional office visit. As part of VA Mobile Health, VA is releasing a series of secure apps that take advantage of the popularity of wireless technologies to support Veterans, Caregivers and VA care teams.

No. VA created the VA Launchpad to house all mobile apps that connect to CPRS. By signing in to the VA Launchpad once, you can access multiple apps from one location – without having to log in to each one individually.

A built-in information feature is available in the app. Tap the i icon, and a pop-up Information box will appear. Tap Help, and a pop-up Help box will appear with information about how to contact the Help Desk and provide general feedback.

You may also access videos including:

• How to Access VMR
• A Virtual Medical Room Encounter

Note that you should never use this app in an emergency situation. If you encounter an emergency, call your local medical center or dial 911. If you feel that your information may have been compromised, contact your local VA facility to obtain the contact information for your Privacy Officer. To locate your local VA facility, visit VA’s Facility Locator: http://www.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp?isflash=1.

Additional information about other available VA apps can be found on mobile.va.gov/appstore as well as mobile.va.gov/appstore in the VA Mobile Apps General FAQs.