Imagine having a private, connected space where you can consult with your doctor online - no need to get in your car or fly off-island. Now, a simple yet powerful gesture is bringing that vision to life for veterans in the south and across the island.

A simple click behind closed doors is bridging the gap between island veterans and healthcare access. What once seemed out of reach is now just a laptop away, thanks to a partnership between the community based outpatient clinic and the mayor’s office of Inalåhan.

Mayor Anthony Chargualaf said, “We have dedicated an office space with a door to create privacy–but what it really is, CBOC has provided a laptop computer with a camera on it and it’s supposed to give veterans an opportunity to video conference calls directly with their physician or doctor.” He says the service can accommodate veterans who may need to seek specialty care, explaining, “This videoconference call directly with the doctor can allow for you to do it literally, like a face-to-face consultation and kind of give you the pros and cons of the intended procedure so at least you get a good idea of where you’re heading and what needs to be done as opposed to flying out there using $3,000-$4,000 only to be told it’s probably not the best thing for you.”

It’s also a lifeline and a safe space for veterans in the southern village. Chargualaf said, “They’re using their cellphones because they don’t have cell service wherever they’re at–and being down south, you get a lot of dead spots. So what's happening is they’ll come to the office and use the WiFi, but they don’t have the privacy of interfacing with a doctor.”

And for veterans across the island, the mayor noted, “The elder veteran—they’re having a hard time even listening to the device. Here, we have the speaker set up, and also the manamko are really going to be enjoying this interface with their doctor, seeing them on a bigger screen and hearing them very clearly.”

The office will accommodate appointments as they come in, with flexible hours. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for Friday at 2pm.