New ATLAS Booth in Guam

It’s also important to deliver that care as close as possible to where the Veteran lives. Primary Care and Specialty providers such as Rehabilitative Services, Pharmacy, Podiatry, Gastroenterology, Dermatology, and Nephrology are accessible to Veterans via Telehealth.  Specialty care providers travel to Guam for face-to-face appointments, but sometimes a Veteran wants to talk with a doctor right away or do a quick follow up appointment. Accessing Telehealth Through Local Area Stations (ATLAS) sites can help.

“We are excited to be able to offer this new ATLAS service at the Mayor’s Office in Inalåhan,” said Telehealth Clinical Technician Janella Cruz. “Veterans may want to have a medication reconciliation appointment or follow up with their nephrologist. Being able to utilize telehealth means not having to drive into Agaña Heights to the CBOC.” 

Guam has a Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) as well as a partnership with Naval Hospital Guam and a robust Care in the Community (CITC) network. Additionally, the Guam CBOC Annex is under construction now in Dededo at Guam Regional Medical City (GRMC). VAPIHCS has been focused on advocating for Guam Veterans and adding services on the island, and the first ATLAS booth in the Inalåhan Mayor’s Office is an important step in that expansion of care and services.

“Veterans will simply make an appointment and get a code which they will write down and use to start their appointment at the ATLAS site,” Cruz said. “This site is only for health care, so Veterans will still need to travel to the Veterans Benefits Office for benefits questions.”

Each village has its own personality and history. Guam may seem like a small island to someone from the mainland, but it’s challenging geography and thick jungles had historically made travel between villages difficult. Each village had a large degree of independent development which can be seen in their unique identities now. The village’s Chamorro name, Inalåhan, probably refers to the åla or large woven coconut-leaf harvest baskets for which the village was noted. In written historical documents, the Spanish changed all the l’s in Chamorro words to r’s, thus changing the village’s name -which was often written as “Inarajan.” The village is now officially recognized as Inalåhan, which is the correct Chamorro spelling.

“We’re very grateful to be offered this site to have a telehealth booth in,” Cruz said. “The mayor’s office and the surrounding area is convenient for Veterans on this side of the island, and it’s a beautiful space as well with rich history and culture.”

VAPIHCS has five other ATLAS stations for Veterans to attend TeleHealth appointments. There are two in Saipan, two in Tinian, and one in Rota. This addition of Telehealth facilities in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (CNMI) underscores VA’s commitment to the region. All Veterans signed up to protect and defend the United States, and they all deserve access to VA services when they get out of the military. Providing Telehealth options in rural communities can bring the specialists from the big city in the mainland to a Veteran on their island when an in person appointment isn’t immediately available, and that access is meaningful for Veterans in historically underserved communities. 

“I am proud to work for VA because I see it as a way to give back to those who have served,” Cruz said. “I believe strongly in the ICARE values of Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence. I want to bring those value to every Veteran I interact with because -to me- it is personal.” 

Cruz’s husband retired from the Army, and her son and daughter-in-law are both active-duty service members. Cruz has worked for VA for five years but is an experienced Telehealth facilitator with a long career outside VA, and who can tele present for 40 different specialties. Her expertise and experience help her to see the vital services that telehealth care provides, and why this ATLAS booth in Inalåhan will be such a great resource for Veterans in Guam. 

“ATLAS stations are always inside community buildings, and so we have collaborated to make this happen,” Cruz said. “In the CNMI, the Department of Public Health has been a great resource. In Guam, the Inalåhan Mayor’s office has been very supportive and is excited to collaborate with us on this project. 

Location of New Guam ATLAS Site:
• 719 San Jose Avenue, Inalåhan GU 96917. Contact Janella Cruz at janella.cruz@va.gov or (671) 475-5760. 

List of ATLAS sites in CNMI:
•  Kagman (Tinian) Community Health Center – Sharon Seivers Sharon.seivers@kagmanchc.org  (670) 433-4750/2
•  Rota Health Center – Rica Mendiola rica.mendiola@chcc.health   (670) 532-9461/62
•  Kagman Isla Community Health – Norma Borja norma.borja@kagmanchc.org  (670) 287-5242
•  Tinian Isla Community Health – Sydney Biton Sydney.biton@chcc.health  (670) 433-9233/9263
•  Saipan Community Guidance Center – Tyra Santos Tyra.Santos@chcc.health Jesse Aguon jesse.aguon@chcc.health  (670) 323-6560/1