The VHA Telehealth Task Force assessed that current VA scheduling systems cannot support widespread expansion of TSS due to manual processes involved with the current inter-facility TSS consult and inability of the current VistA scheduling system to interface with other TSS scheduling technologies and resources.

Problems with the current “as is” interfacility TSS scheduling for consult processes are listed below:

• Manual scheduling must occur on the VistA system where the health care provider is located and the VistA system where the Veteran is located. This pair is not handled within and across VistA systems as a synchronized event and uses separate scheduling systems that do not link with VistA or various work-arounds. Therefore, it is difficult to create or modify TSS appointments.

• Inability to document all TSS activities including TSS event closure on both healthcare provider and Veteran’s local VistA systems.

• Potential for clerical error and improper tracking of workload capture. There is currently not a way to show a single listing of daily scheduled TSS patients across facilities and VISNs. Healthcare providers currently do not have a clear view of TSS scheduled patients.

The TSS project will address:

• Consistency and adaptability across all VISNs, VistAs and facilities
• Management of TSS resource availability
• Interfaces to existing systems to include VistA ( an integration solution is to be determined) and the TMS system.
• Ease of use through the use of Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) and application wizards
• Recent advances in TSS technology
• Flexibility in scheduling healthcare providers, Veteran patients and TSS resources