Tennessee VA revolutionizing how Veterans with limb loss receive care

At Tennessee Valley VA and its surrounding clinics, the Mobile Prosthetic and Orthotic Care (MoPOC) program is revolutionizing how Veterans with limb loss and mobility impairments receive care.

For Veterans with amputations and other mobility disabilities who might find it difficult to travel to larger VA medical centers, MoPOC offers cutting-edge orthotic and prosthetic services. MoPOC sends Certified Prosthetists/Orthotists (CPOs) to meet Veterans where they are by providing comfort and convenience at VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinics and, when necessary, at home.

In addition, MoPOC enables cost reduction while increasing access to O&P services for rural Veterans. Each MoPOC clinician saves VA about $86K a year when compared to paying for the same care through community providers, which is the most common alternative for Veterans that live far from a VAMC or if the VAMC does not offer O&P care.

MoPOC to Nashville

Daniel Abrahamson, CPO, and Eli Kaufman, CPO, both certified O&P providers from VA Puget Sound Health Care System, created MoPOC. With support from VHA’s Office of Rural Health, the program has expanded to 18 VA facilities, including VA Tennessee Valley since its inception in 2021.

More than 94,000 Tennessee Veterans who are eligible for VA care live in rural areas and nearly 45% of those rural Veterans must travel long distances to access care. This means some Veterans and their families are spending an entire day commuting for appointments.

In addition, 54% of enrolled rural Veterans nationwide are 65 years old or older, which highlights the importance of MoPOC’s capabilities. MoPOC mitigates the burden of travel by bringing care to the Veterans, saving them significant time and effort.

MoPOC’s successful implementation at VA Tennessee Valley involved a coordinated effort by key team members on the ground. Deborah Page, Prosthetics chief at Tennessee Valley VA, provided administrative oversight while Dexter George, assistant chief of Prosthetics, secured the necessary equipment to operate MoPOC out of the medical center.

Prosthetics Supervisor Eric Harmon manages logistics and oversight of the MoPOC staff as well as the other facility-based clinical staff. Tyler Gray, MoPOC CPO, travels extensively to provide services to Veterans either at their local sites or in their homes.

Addressing rural Veteran challenges

Alexandra Rodriguez, Tennessee Valley VA MoPOC Program Support Assistant, coordinates care, outreach and ensures timely follow-up with Veterans. “Our goal is to improve outreach to Veterans, restore trust and let them know we’re here and we can care for them.”

Her proactive approach, including after-hours support, has significantly bolstered trust and improved Veteran engagement before, during and following the provision of care. “When I talk to Veterans, I show them the job is going to get done right the first time around,” Rodriguez added.

The program also reduces instances of Veterans having to see multiple different providers for different services by facilitating direct communication between MoPOC staff and VA providers. This streamlined approach has expedited care delivery and improved outcomes for Veterans’ health care by allowing CPOs to reach rural patients and provide them with multiple services in one visit.

According to Harmon, this hands-on model removes additional layers and barriers, ensuring Veterans receive timely, high-quality care. “We have more flexibility through MoPOC. It hastens the processes. There are relationships that MoPOC can tap into in VA that make care better for Veterans.”

Looking ahead

As MoPOC continues to evolve and enhance access for Veterans, it has become a model for rural health care delivery. The dedication of its team ensures that Veterans in places like rural communities surrounding VA Tennessee Valley will receive the compassionate, comprehensive care they deserve, fostering independence, mobility and trust.