Like most Americans, I was shocked and horrified at the Boston Marathon bombings that ripped through the event on Monday, April 15, 2013, at 1450 (2:50 p.m.). It was difficult to process the images of explosions and injuries coming out of Boston that I personally associate with distant lands and conflicts.

SAN ANTONIO, TX - Ten years ago, many of the survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing with major lower body injuries would likely have spent the rest of their lives in a wheelchair. A new - and far more positive - set of expectations have been established, however, because of 12 years of experience with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) gained in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Currently in Place for Radiology, Ophthalmology
WASHINGTON - Under pressure to develop an accurate method of assessing physician output and determining appropriate staffing levels at medical facilities, the VA has agreed to establish productivity models for five additional specialties by the end of this fiscal year.

Opinion poll:
Does VA have an appropriate number of specialty physicians to meet patient-care needs? Please click here to participate in this month's U.S. Medicine readership poll.

PPIs Used Too Long
CHICAGO - How VA patients are treated, or potentially overtreated, for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is coming under greater scrutiny.

New Research Indicates Water Contamination Began in 1953
WASHINGTON - Legislation signed into law in August was applauded for offering medical care through VA for veterans and family members exposed to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune, NC.

SAN DIEGO - The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recent approval of canagliflozin might soon offer new treatment options for the more than one million VA patients with diabetes.