The Kansas City VA health care system, in coordination with American Legion Post 230 of Stockton and the Friends of the Stockton Senior Center, will conduct a site survey in the coming months to determine the feasibility and suitability of placing and operating Missouri's first ATLAS (Accessing Telehealth through Local Area Stations) telehealth station.
Stockton's geographical location, along with its high concentration of veterans, including approximately 2,000 with disabilities within a 50-mile radius of Stockton, makes it a prime location to assist veterans in need.
An ATLAS telehealth station is a private, high-tech modular room created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It allows veterans in rural and underserved areas to connect face-to-face with VA care teams through secure video appointments without driving hours to the nearest VA medical center.
Stockton's geographical location places it at the southernmost portion of the Kansas City VA Medical Center's service area and the northernmost portion of the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Currently, veterans in Cedar County and surrounding rural counties must travel as far north as Kansas City and as far south as Fayetteville, Arkansas, for some health care needs.
At a telehealth site, veterans could access primary care providers and specialty clinics, if desired, eliminating the need for lengthy commutes.
As rural communities experience demographic shifts, the need for senior services, transportation and veterans services is expected to increase by 2030, placing additional demands on already underserved areas.
