Program lets Arizona firefighters treat some veterans at home

CHANDLER, ARIZ. — A new partnership between the Phoenix Veterans Affairs hospital and the Chandler Fire Department will allow some veterans to be medically treated without leaving home.

Through the program, the Phoenix VA will identify veterans in Chandler who are in need of medical care, but do not need to visit the emergency room. Paramedics will then visit those veterans at homes while they consult with a doctor or nurse through a video conference.

“This is a way for [veterans] to get care without going to the hospital,” Chandler Fire Department Chief Jeff Clark said.

Clark said veterans have responded positively to the program so far and he thinks it could be implemented across the country in the near future.

“If we can prove this over the next six months and create good data — which we believe we’re going to — this is something that will take off nationwide,” he said.

MacAuley Beloney, an Army veteran who lives in Chandler, said he has been impressed by the program.

“They came out when I was having some knee issues,” he said. “It’s really proved to be a valuable asset not just for the veterans, I think, but also for the Chandler Fire Department first responders and paramedics.”

The program is designed to cut back on emergency room visits and decrease medical costs among veterans.

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