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VA hospitals often the best option for medical care
Study after study shows that the Veterans Health Administration performs just as well or better than non-VA providers. Dartmouth College’s study, released in the Annals of Internal Medicine, was no different. However, the Trump Administration has rejected claims by the authors that “questions whether expanding more access to private-sector physicians for veterans will produce better health care for the population.” Read more at Military Times.
Cohen Veterans Network Expands to Tampa Bay
Disgraced hedge fund billionaire Steven A. Cohen claims to want to serve veterans whose needs are not met by the VA. So why does he continue to expand his mental health network to areas where there is already a strong VA presence? Smells like privatization. Read the story at the Tampa Bay Times. Here’s more background on the network’s founder.
This Week on Capitol Hill:
Joint Hearing - “Tracking Transformation: VA MISSION Act Implementation”
Patient Safety Innovations
In 2017, ten Patient Safety Centers of Inquiry were on the chopping block. This year, they’re getting the recognition they deserve. From Patient Engagement Hit:
Starting in 2019, ten Patient Safety Centers of Inquiry (PSCI) will receive VA funding to make innovations in patient safety. Although VA did not disclose the amount of funding allocated for the organizations, it did say the funds will span 2019 through 2021.
Previous PSCI initiatives have revolutionized patient safety throughout the VA and elsewhere. These improvements include the development of a patient fall prevention toolkit, patient sedation techniques for non-anesthesiologists, procedures for preventing hospital-acquired conditions (HACs), suicide prevention programs, and cancer care tracking systems.
Veteran dies after private nursing home staff ignores infection
From Military Times:
State investigators from Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration, or AHCA, which oversees nursing home regulations, began looking into Spratling’s case in the aftermath of what appeared to be gross mismanagement of a nursing home patient.
The AHCA had already cited the Consulate Health Care nursing home three times in the year leading up to the 84-year-old’s death, with each report pointing to inadequate staffing and an inability to provide even the most basic care for patients, such as bathing or hygiene.
Months before Spratling’s death, an unnamed patient at the same nursing home submitted an alarming complaint to AHCA inspectors, noting, “I have not had a shower in I don’t know how long," according to the report.
When questioned about Spratling’s case, meanwhile, nursing home staff reportedly told state investigators that the stench emanating from his infection was so bad that it could be smelled from the doorway of his room.
But despite the easily discernible health risk, staff members didn’t document or notify a doctor about the infection until a full five days after first noticing the odor, the report said.
How to VA Nursing Homes compare to non-VA Nursing homes? Read more at VHPI.
Survey: 40% of Active Duty Women Report Fertility Problems
From Military.com:
Active-duty female troops experience infertility at rates three times that of civilian American women, and they continue struggling with fertility problems after leaving the service, according to a new survey by the Service Women's Action Network, an advocacy group for female veterans.
According to the report, Access To Reproductive Health Care: The Experiences of Military Women, 37 percent of active duty women polled said they had chronic problems in conceiving or carrying a baby to term, while 30 percent of female veterans said they experienced infertility while trying to get pregnant.
The rate of infertility among civilian U.S. women is 12 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The enormous disparity may be an indication that the problem is service-connected, retired Army Col. Ellen Haring, chief executive officer at SWAN, said. "The military needs to determine the reason for this high rate of infertility and immediately provide military women all forms of infertility care at no cost," she said.
Veteran Suicide and Firearm Access
A survey of veterans found that a majority of veterans would approve of the VA offering ways to reduce firearm access to combat veteran suicide. More from the University of Michigan Health Lab Blog:
Among those options: having health providers ask about veterans’ access to firearms, providing gun locks or teaching veterans’ family and friends about suicide warning signs and firearm safety.
The survey also found:
- 68.5 percent of those surveyed said they would be in favor of the VA offering gun locks to veterans who have firearms at home.
- Eighty-two percent thought there were situations when VA clinicians needed to ask veterans about their firearm access; only 7 percent opposed these screenings.
- Seventy-five percent also favored at least one more intensive effort by the VA to work with patients to voluntarily reduce their firearm access, such as efforts to store or dispose of veterans’ guns or to help families secure veterans’ guns or gun lock keys.
Blue Water Navy Veterans take their case to White House
From Military Update at the News Tribune:
The veterans groups who appealed to Trump — Disabled American Veterans, The American Legion, Military Officers Association of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Vietnam Veterans of America, AMVETS and Paralyzed Veterans of America — believe another unanimous consent motion will give the president time to reverse VA’s own stand on this issue and pressure Enzi and Lee to drop their opposition, a move that would gain the everlasting gratitude of Blue Water Navy veterans.
Tester predicted that if Enzi or Lee continue to block a unanimous consent vote, almost two years would pass before the next Congress, in its final months, would be motivated to reconsider benefits to Blue Water veterans and survivors.
“We understand there is concern about the cost to provide benefits and health care to Blue Water Navy veterans suffering … illnesses linked to Agent Orange,” the vet groups told Trump. “But when our nation asks its brave men and women to serve in harm’s way, America assumes a sacred obligation to care and compensate for the injuries and illnesses they suffer during that service.
“Some have argued that Congress should continue waiting until there is more ‘scientific’ evidence. However numerous studies by the Centers for Disease Control, the National Academy of Medicine and others have already found there is no scientific basis to exclude (these) veterans from benefits linked to Agent Orange exposure.”
The letter closes with a vision for the president who often touts his “incredible” support for veterans, advising Trump that they “look forward to the day when you will be able to sign this legislation and finally pay a long overdue debt to thousands of Blue Water Navy Vietnam veterans.” |
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