Online doctor visits prove valuable at some Europe bases

The US Army is testing telemedicine as a way to give patients at remote posts in Europe better access to American specialists.

In recent years, as the military footprint in Europe has shrunk and US hospitals in places such as Würzburg have closed, servicemembers and family members increasingly have been sent to foreign medical facilities for treatment. Telemedicine — which enables doctors to do remote consultations over the Internet — is a way to bring those patients back into the U.S. medical system, according to Col. Steven Brewster, commander of U.S. Army Medical Activity Bavaria. A telemedicine system is being tested at two on-post clinics in Vilseck, allowing doctors at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center to perform examinations and determine if more extensive care, such as surgery, might be needed. Telemedicine will help the Army tighten oversight of soldiers' medical treatment and provide the best long-term results, he said.