BAY CITY – Troop Health Initiatives has received a contract from the Office of Emergency Management of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Ann Arbor for the JEMS Technology Disaster Relief Telehealth System.

The JEMS systems will be used by the VA as a disaster relief telehealth unit, connecting medical professionals and first responders in the field to specialist physicians at the VA hospital.

“The Office of Emergency Management at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System supports emergency operations from four treatment sites that serve 21 counties in Michigan and Ohio. Also in Michigan, the VA supports emergency and disaster preparedness efforts as a member of the Region 2 South Healthcare Coalition,? explained Christopher Roe, Federal Emergency Manager, Department of Veterans Affairs. ?The organization is eagerly anticipating delivery of the new JEMS Disaster Relief Telehealth Unit.”?

Using the JEMS Disaster Relief Telehealth System, medical professionals can send live streaming video to a specialty physician via a JEMS mobile unit. The specialist will be able to review the video on their smart device in real time and respond with medical advice. The JEMS Disaster Relief Telehealth System is easy to use and has been proven in challenging environments.

THI, a Service Disabled Veteran Woman Owned Business, is a JEMS Technology government and commercial reseller. The PTAC (Procurement Technical Assistance Center) of Schoolcraft, the Saginaw Future PTAC and the Michigan Homeland Security Consortium (MIHSC) assisted with connecting THI and VA.

?The ability to deliver a proven, reliable telehealth resource to the VA helps medical professionals deliver the highest quality of care to veterans and their families,? said Susan Pfund, owner of THI. Pfund is a 20-year critical care nurse and a service disabled retired Air Force Captain. ?The JEMS Disaster Relief Telehealth System, available on the J-500RUGGED platform, ensures that in an emergency situation ? when that critical, expert care is needed the most ? health care professionals can access the expertise of specialists, ultimately improving the outcome of care for patients.

?It?s estimated that over the coming years, the government will spend more than $1 billion on telehealth,? Pfund added. ?THI and JEMS Technology are ready to support that commitment to making specialty care available everywhere.?

?The recent Telehealth Promotion Act signals that the federal government is serious about telehealth, and the VA is leading the way,? said Kevin Lasser, chief executive officer of JEMS Technology. ?With its experience and expertise in telehealth, and its partnership with THI, JEMS is uniquely positioned to provide the technology the

government needs to make sure patients have access specialized care, no matter their location.?