WASHINGTON — Poor coordination and staffing problems were identified as major factors in veterans’ receiving inadequate care at Atlanta VA Medical Center mental-health clinics, according to a VA Inspector General (IG) report released last month. This report is the latest of many released by oversight agencies that point out the gaps in VA’s mental-health services.

WASHINGTON — Surgical errors have declined significantly at VA facilities nationwide, while the reporting of close calls has increased, according to a recent study. The study, conducted by VA researchers, credits agency-led quality improvement efforts with the decline in adverse events.

WASHINGTON — An FDA process for approving some medical devices, in use for the past 35 years, lacks the ability to reliably screen new products for safety and effectiveness prior to their release.

WASHINGTON — Before Congress reached a debt ceiling deal last month, veterans and active-duty servicemembers were worried if they would receive their military paychecks, veterans’ benefits, or G.I. Bill benefits, should the United States be unable to borrow more to pay its bills.

VA’s medical-care budget has grown rapidly since 2001 —$27 billion or 130% — but government budget officials suggest that is a minor increase compared to what is coming: the lifetime costs of treating troops who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON — Frustrated by VA’s handling of sexual assaults committed in VA facilities and on VA property, legislators have introduced a bill to address safety vulnerabilities and force the agency to develop a comprehensive tracking system for sexual assault.

WASHINGTON — The Military Health System is accepting nominations for the third annual “Building Stronger Female Physician Leaders in the MHS” award program, which identifies and honors outstanding female physicians who have made significant contributions to the practice of military medicine and serve as role models.

WASHINGTON — When VA went live with its Blue Button download format last year, the goal was to give veterans the ability to download their personal-health information directly from their MyHealtheVet account.

Orlando, FL —Scientists, breast-cancer survivors and advocates gathered at the recent Era of Hope conference to learn about the advances made by the DoD Breast Cancer Research Program awardees, and to identify approaches for future breast cancer research.

Linda Resnik, PhD, a VA research-health scientist at the Providence VA Medical Center was collaborating on a study with researchers at DoD’s Center for Intrepid (CFI) when the site principal investigator there was reassigned to a different location. A second DoD site principal investigator who took over was subsequently also reassigned to a different location.