The Senate VA Committee has advanced sweeping bipartisan legislation that would allow VA to raise the salary cap for physicians to above $400,000.
News
GOP Bill Calls for End of VA’s EHR Modernization Program; Democrats Vehemently Disagree, Calling Effort ‘Unsound’
A group of Republican lawmakers has introduced legislation that would end VA’s Electronic Health Record Modernization Program. The bill is a response to the frequently delayed and problem-ridden rollout of the department’s new EHR, which the bill’s authors say is fundamentally broken and doing more harm than good to veterans.
Current Issue
New VA/DoD Pain Guideline Urges Buprenorphine Use Over Full Agonist Opioids
Recent VA/DoD guidelines call for new measures to reduce the use of opioid pain relievers in the management of chronic pain, including the preferential use of buprenorphine over full agonist opioids.
Five-Year Survival Rate for Late-Stage Prostate Cancer Is Higher Among MHS Beneficiaries Than for the General Population
Prostate cancer is the third-most-common cancer in men in the U.S. military and the second-leading cause of cancer mortality in U.S. men overall.
COVID-19
COVID-19 Pandemic Spotlighted Weaknesses in VA Healthcare System
During the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the VA was called on to serve in its “fourth mission” role as a backstop to the nation’s healthcare system.
Highly Rural Areas Appear to Have Lower Uptake of COVID-19 Vaccines
Public health officials can better target their message if they better understand where COVID-19 primary and booster vaccine uptake is low. A new VA study suggests that whether the potential recipient lives in a rural or urban area can be an important factor.
New York’s Operation COVID-19 Is Largest Domestic Mobilization in US History
On March 7, 2020, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed Executive Order 202 declaring a state of emergency for the state of New York. Within days, military forces in the state mobilized to respond to the pandemic with the deployment of 270 servicemembers from the New York Army National Guard and Air National Guard to New Rochelle in Westchester County
Editor-In-Chief, Chester “Trip” Buckenmaier III, MD, COL (ret.), MC, USA
It is more blessed to give than to receive.
I often quoted a version of this Bible verse to residents just before they were about to do something to a patient that was unpleasant. Truly, in medicine, it is better to give than receive. Throughout my career, I have had the good fortune to rarely be on the other side of the stethoscope, needle, or catheter.
Tool Effective in Detecting Elder Abuse in Veterans Visiting EDs
A standardized tool designed for intermediate care technicians and nurses to screen high-risk older veterans in emergency departments for injury,
Survey Examines COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy Among U.S. Soldiers
Soldiers who agree with COVID-19 vaccination effectiveness, safety or importance, as well as soldiers who have an immediate supervisor who encourages them to get the COVID-19 vaccine, are more likely to get vaccinated, according to a new study.
More Treatment Failure Risk in Patients on Antidepressants and Montelukast
Montelukast, a prescription drug used to treat and prevent asthma, can affect antidepressant effectiveness, and initiating the asthma medication in patients already receiving antidepressant maintenance therapy is associated with an increased risk for treatment failure, according to a new study.
Intervention Improves COPD Patients’ Access to Pulmonary Care
Exposure to oil well fires, burn pits and sand and dust particles as well as the use of tobacco products puts veterans at increased risk of lung diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Genetic Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s Found for Those of African Ancestry
VA researchers have discovered several new genetic variants associated with Alzheimer’s disease—the most common form of dementia—in people of African ancestry.
VA Employee Sues Over VA’s Decision to Provide Abortion Services
When VA announced in September that it would be allowing department clinicians to provide abortions and abortion counseling in response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, it was widely anticipated that there would be lawsuits from state governments that restrict abortion access.
VA Disability Claims Rejected at Higher Rates for Black Veterans
Conley Monk Jr., a Black veteran who served in Vietnam, has spent much of the past 50 years trying to get the VA to accept his claims for disability benefits, housing assistance and education benefits.
Veterans With Parkinson’s Disease at Higher Risk of Suicide
A Parkinson’s Disease (PD) diagnosis has been shown to increase patients’ risk of suicide, according to a new study.
Psychiatric Conditions More Common With Drug-Resistant Epilepsy
It is not uncommon for epilepsy patients to also have psychiatric conditions, according to a new study which used VHA records to better understand the co-morbidity.
Mental Health Conditions Affect Treatment, Outcomes for HIV Patients
The presence of diagnosed mental health conditions—whose prevalence in people with HIV has grown overall in recent years—can have an important impact on retention in care and viral suppression in HIV patients, a new study shows.
Clozapine Underused in Veterans With Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder
Although clozapine is the only pharmacologic intervention approved for treating patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who have had suicidal behaviors or inadequate response to other antipsychotics, the medication is underutilized in veterans with these mental health issues, according to a new study.
Guided Bronchoscopy for Lung Lesion Diagnosis
Even though guided bronchoscopy is being used more and more to diagnose peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPL), questions continue about the procedure’s diagnostic yield.
Identified: Genes Associated With Risk of Suicidal Thoughts in Veterans
Multiple genes linked to an increased risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors in U.S. military veterans have been identified, according to a new study.
VA Faces Challenges in Diagnosing, Caring for Long COVID
In the early days and months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the VA and other healthcare systems were focused on the daunting work of helping patients survive the acute effects of the disease.
Racial Differences in Prostate Cancer Treatment
How does Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) after treatment of prostate cancer (PCa) differ for patients of different races?
Sexual Issues Common for Partners of PCa Patients
While it is well understood that prostate cancer (PCa) and its treatment can have significant and pervasive sexual side effects for the male patients, less attention has been paid to their partners.
Genetic Scores Might Help Determine Prostate Cancer Risk
Can genetic scores provide an objective measure of prostate cancer risk and aid screening decisions?
VHA Data Supports Routine Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccination in Older Adults
As part of the continual evolution of pneumococcal vaccination recommendations, guidelines recently have been updated to urge more use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in older adults.
Study Examines Reasons for Vaccine Hesitancy in Patients With IBD
Even after years of the COVID-19 pandemic, data remains somewhat limited on the safety profile of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in patients taking immunosuppressive medications.
MGUS-MM Progression Differs Between African Americans, Caucasians
While it is widely known that African Americans (AA) are at higher risk for multiple myeloma (MM), precisely what factors create the disparity are not well understood.
New Bill to Raise VA Physician Salary Cap Goes to Full Senate
The Senate VA Committee has advanced sweeping bipartisan legislation that would allow VA to raise the salary cap for physicians to above $400,000.
GOP Bill Calls for End of VA’s EHR Modernization Program; Democrats Vehemently Disagree, Calling Effort ‘Unsound’
A group of Republican lawmakers has introduced legislation that would end VA’s Electronic Health Record Modernization Program. The bill is a response to the frequently delayed and problem-ridden rollout of the department’s new EHR, which the bill’s authors say is fundamentally broken and doing more harm than good to veterans.
Factors Making PTSD More Likely After TBI
Why do some military servicemembers with traumatic brain injury (TBI) develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, while others do not?
With More Than 250,000 Alzheimer’s Patients, VA Is a Market for New Drug
Now that the Food and Drug Administration has granted Fast Track approval for the new Alzheimer’s disease medication Leqembi, the issue of who will pay for it looms large.
Group Focuses on Telehealth Fraud at VA, DoD, Other Federal Agencies
While the pandemic has resulted in an explosion in the use of telehealth among federal health agencies, it also has created opportunities for fraud and waste, according to a recent joint report from six Offices of the Inspector General (OIGs).
Hurricanes, Sea Level Rise Endanger Hospitals on Atlantic, Gulf Coasts
In late September, Hurricane Ian, a deadly Category 4 storm, caused widespread damage, flooding, loss of power and evacuations from hospitals and nursing homes across Cuba and the U.S. Southeast, especially Florida and South Carolina.
VA Receives First Doses of Vaccine to Help Combat Monkeypox Outbreak
When the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a public health emergency on July 23, there were more than 4,000 reported cases in the United States. By mid-September, the number of reported U.S. cases had surpassed 24,000.
GAO: Claims Processor Misunderstanding Often Denied Agent Orange Benefits to Which Vietnam Vets Were Entitled
VA claims processors have consistently failed to understand the department’s own regulations when it comes to Vietnam veterans presenting with certain Agent Orange-related conditions, prematurely denying benefits for thousands, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.
VA Partners With American Kidney Fund, Business to Tackle CKD
Several new partnerships are positioning the VA to offer more extensive services, educational material and testing for the one in six veterans estimated to have chronic kidney disease.
VA OIG: Lack of Oversight Found in DO’s Sexual Abuse at Beckley VAMC
This is just the latest finding by the OIG that places blame for a recent criminal case on lack of VA oversight.
It is more blessed to give than to receive.
I often quoted a version of this Bible verse to residents just before they were about to do something to a patient that was unpleasant. Truly, in medicine, it is better to give than receive. Throughout my career, I have had the good fortune to rarely be on the other side of the stethoscope, needle, or catheter.
Tool Effective in Detecting Elder Abuse in Veterans Visiting EDs
A standardized tool designed for intermediate care technicians and nurses to screen high-risk older veterans in emergency departments for injury,
Survey Examines COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy Among U.S. Soldiers
Soldiers who agree with COVID-19 vaccination effectiveness, safety or importance, as well as soldiers who have an immediate supervisor who encourages them to get the COVID-19 vaccine, are more likely to get vaccinated, according to a new study.
More Treatment Failure Risk in Patients on Antidepressants and Montelukast
Montelukast, a prescription drug used to treat and prevent asthma, can affect antidepressant effectiveness, and initiating the asthma medication in patients already receiving antidepressant maintenance therapy is associated with an increased risk for treatment failure, according to a new study.
Intervention Improves COPD Patients’ Access to Pulmonary Care
Exposure to oil well fires, burn pits and sand and dust particles as well as the use of tobacco products puts veterans at increased risk of lung diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Genetic Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s Found for Those of African Ancestry
VA researchers have discovered several new genetic variants associated with Alzheimer’s disease—the most common form of dementia—in people of African ancestry.
VA Employee Sues Over VA’s Decision to Provide Abortion Services
When VA announced in September that it would be allowing department clinicians to provide abortions and abortion counseling in response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, it was widely anticipated that there would be lawsuits from state governments that restrict abortion access.
VA Disability Claims Rejected at Higher Rates for Black Veterans
Conley Monk Jr., a Black veteran who served in Vietnam, has spent much of the past 50 years trying to get the VA to accept his claims for disability benefits, housing assistance and education benefits.
Veterans With Parkinson’s Disease at Higher Risk of Suicide
A Parkinson’s Disease (PD) diagnosis has been shown to increase patients’ risk of suicide, according to a new study.
Psychiatric Conditions More Common With Drug-Resistant Epilepsy
It is not uncommon for epilepsy patients to also have psychiatric conditions, according to a new study which used VHA records to better understand the co-morbidity.
Mental Health Conditions Affect Treatment, Outcomes for HIV Patients
The presence of diagnosed mental health conditions—whose prevalence in people with HIV has grown overall in recent years—can have an important impact on retention in care and viral suppression in HIV patients, a new study shows.
Clozapine Underused in Veterans With Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder
Although clozapine is the only pharmacologic intervention approved for treating patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who have had suicidal behaviors or inadequate response to other antipsychotics, the medication is underutilized in veterans with these mental health issues, according to a new study.
Guided Bronchoscopy for Lung Lesion Diagnosis
Even though guided bronchoscopy is being used more and more to diagnose peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPL), questions continue about the procedure’s diagnostic yield.
Identified: Genes Associated With Risk of Suicidal Thoughts in Veterans
Multiple genes linked to an increased risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors in U.S. military veterans have been identified, according to a new study.
VA Faces Challenges in Diagnosing, Caring for Long COVID
In the early days and months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the VA and other healthcare systems were focused on the daunting work of helping patients survive the acute effects of the disease.
Racial Differences in Prostate Cancer Treatment
How does Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) after treatment of prostate cancer (PCa) differ for patients of different races?
Sexual Issues Common for Partners of PCa Patients
While it is well understood that prostate cancer (PCa) and its treatment can have significant and pervasive sexual side effects for the male patients, less attention has been paid to their partners.
Genetic Scores Might Help Determine Prostate Cancer Risk
Can genetic scores provide an objective measure of prostate cancer risk and aid screening decisions?
VHA Data Supports Routine Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccination in Older Adults
As part of the continual evolution of pneumococcal vaccination recommendations, guidelines recently have been updated to urge more use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in older adults.
Study Examines Reasons for Vaccine Hesitancy in Patients With IBD
Even after years of the COVID-19 pandemic, data remains somewhat limited on the safety profile of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in patients taking immunosuppressive medications.
MGUS-MM Progression Differs Between African Americans, Caucasians
While it is widely known that African Americans (AA) are at higher risk for multiple myeloma (MM), precisely what factors create the disparity are not well understood.
Walter Reed, NIAID Scientists Help Develop Monoclonal Antibodies That Might Block Epstein-Barr Virus Infection; EBV Linked to MS Development
Scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) have developed a panel of investigational monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that target two key proteins—gH and gL—on the surface of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).
Head and Neck Cancer Driven by HPV Has Distinct Genetic, Immune Variants
Most new diagnoses of oropharyngeal cancer, a type of head and neck cancer, are driven by human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, with distinct genetic and immune differences in HPV-driven and non-HPV-driven head and neck cancer, according to a new study.
Similar Cardiovascular Outcomes Found in Veterans Treated With Two Common Blood Pressure Medications — Chlorthalidone and Hydrochlorothiazide
In “surprising” results, two common diuretics used to control blood pressure, chlorthalidone and hydrochlorothiazide, had no differences in outcomes for cardiovascular events, including death, in veteran patients, according to a new study.
Man Who Stalked Female VA Physicians in California Called ‘Menace’ by Judge
A federal judge called a man “a menace to society” —the first time he said he has done that —while sentencing him to 18 years in federal prison for stalking four female physicians who worked for the VA.
VA Catching Up on Rescheduling Appointments Canceled Early in the Pandemic
VA is slowly catching up on the appointments that were canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down many nonessential services at VA hospitals.
Factors Linked to Severe COVID-19 Among Vaccinated, Hospitalized Veterans
Although vaccination and boosting remain the best defense against COVID-19, breakthrough infections among those vaccinated and boosted are exceedingly common.
Large VA Study Finds Lower Prostate Cancer Screening Rates Associated With Subsequent Increases in Metastatic Cancer
Aside from skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among male veterans. When diagnosed at an early stage, prostate cancer is highly curable.
TRICARE Prescription Drug Network Changes Ignite a Controversy
The removal of about 15,000 independent pharmacies from the TRICARE network has created an uproar.
VHA Mental Health Staffing Levels Affect Suicide-Related Events in Veterans
VHA facilities appear to have limited staff who can provide mental health care services, and increasing mental health staffing could reduce suicide-related events in veterans, according to a new study.
Polypharmacy Associated With Worse Outcomes in Veterans With HIV
The good news, according to a recent study, is that medical intensive care unit (MICU) admissions have been declining in people with HIV infection (PWH).
Degree of Diastolic Dysfunction Similar With and Without HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is known to be associated with subclinical cardiomyopathy, diastolic dysfunction and increased risk of cardiovascular death.
HIV Prevention Use Remains Too Low in U.S. Military
Even though about 20.9% of U.S. servicemembers report a high risk of HIV infection, only about 2,000 of them had accessed HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), as of 2017.
Achieving Treatment-Free Remission in CML: Best Approaches, Best Candidates
In less than two decades, the advent of targeted therapies transformed chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) from a death sentence with a five-year survival rate of just 22% to a chronic condition with five-year survival exceeding 90%.
Severe COVID-19 Illness Low for Veterans After Vaccination Plus Booster
Veteran patients who received a COVID-19 vaccination series, plus a booster vaccine dose, had a low incidence of hospitalization, death or severe illness from COVID-19, according to a new study.
Childs, Fisher House Provides a ‘Safe Space” for Families of VA, MHS Patients
Having a loved one in the hospital can be one of the most stressful experiences for a family.
Veterans With Service-Linked Disabilities Fare Worse After TKA
Service connection (SC) status appears to worsen outcomes for veterans receiving total knee-arthroplasty, according to a new report.
Veterans With RA Face Higher Mortality Risks Than Those Without
Although lessening over time, patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the VHA have higher risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality, according to a new study.
Intra-Articular NSAIDs Might Be Future OA Treatment
Are intra-articular non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs a viable option for treatment of osteoarthritis in adults?
Telehealth Rollback Puts Veterans Receiving Opioid Addiction Treatment at Risk
When the COVID-19 pandemic prompted federal policy changes increasing the use of telehealth delivery, one of those was the increased delivery of buprenorphine
OIG: Protocols to Help Prevent Suicides Not Always Followed at VA
Despite suicide prevention being a top priority at VA, clinicians are failing to consistently ask patients at risk for suicide about their access to guns.