Evaluation of a Virtual Tai Chi Program for Older Veterans at Risk of Loneliness or Physical Deconditioning: A Quality Improvement Project.

This Quality Improvement project evaluated the implementation of a virtual Tai Chi program for older Veterans (OVs) at risk of loneliness and/or physical deconditioning. A 12-week Tai Chi course was conducted virtually at three Veterans Affairs sites using VA Video Connect (VVC). Changes in physical function based on the 30-Second Chair Stand (30CST) and loneliness based on the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DJGS) were measured, as were the OVs' satisfaction and adherence. Of 109 OVs who enrolled, 74 completed the program with a mean attendance rate of 84%. Completers demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in the 30CST, and those who were moderately or severely lonely at baseline saw a statistically significant improvement in the DJGS. Course evaluations were generally very positive. Results suggest that a virtual Tai Chi program is an effective and very satisfying intervention for OVs at risk of loneliness or physical deconditioning.

Use of Real Time Clinical Video Telehealth to Home by primary care providers within the Veterans Health Administration during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: variability across VA stations and with time.

Objective: Determine the extent to which use of Clinical Video Telehealth to Home (VT2H) for primary care licensed independent practitioner visits (PCLIPVs) varied over time and across the Veterans Health Administration (VA) during the first 18 months of the COVID pandemic, and if there was an association between VT2H usage and VA station characteristics. Materials and Methods: All outpatient encounters (n = 12 143 456) for Veterans (n = 4 373 638) that had VA PCLIPVs during the period of observation were categorized as conducted by VT2H, in-person, or telephone. The change over time in the percentage of total PCLIPVs conducted by VT2H was plotted and associations between VA station characteristics and VT2H usage were analyzed using simple statistics and negative binomial regression. Results: Between March 2020 and mid-August 2020, VT2H visits increased from <2% to 13% of all VA PCLIPVs. However, VT2H usage varied substantively by VA station and declined system-wide to <9% of PCLIPVs by July 2021. VA stations that serve a greater proportion of rural Veterans were found less likely to use VT2H. Discussion: The VA was successful in increasing the use of VT2H for PCLIPVs during the first phase of the COVID pandemic. However, VT2H usage varied by VA station and over time. Beyond rurality, it is unknown what station characteristics may be responsible for the variance in VT2H use. Conclusion: Future investigation is warranted to identify the unique practices employed by VA stations that were most successful in using VT2H for PCLIPVs and whether they can be effectively disseminated to other stations.