DoD officials advocated for the firing of Richard Thomas, MD, DDS, president of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
News
Denis McDonough Gets Bipartisan Confirmation as New VA Secretary
After what was a relatively easy, bipartisan confirmation process, Denis McDonough, President Joe Biden’s pick for VA secretary, is expected to be sworn in by early February.
Gen. Lloyd Austin Becomes First African American Defense Secretary
Lloyd J. Austin III made history when the retired four-star general was confirmed as the first African American Secretary of Defense last month.
Current Issue
Technology Helps Veterans Better Manage Diabetes During Pandemic Restrictions
Across the country, diabetes patients have faced extraordinary challenges throughout the pandemic.
New Veterans Health Care Act Seeks to Improve Women’s Healthcare at VA
One of the last pieces of legislation to make it through the 116th Congress was the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, MD Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020.
Debate Continues on Overhaul of VA’s Eligibility Criteria
Is it time to overhaul VA’s eligibility rules? According to some legislators, the process is long overdue for an update, although veterans’ service organizations are split on the issue.
COVID-19
Union Survey: VA Staff Not Adequately Protected Against COVID-19
From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, VA staff have complained about shortages of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect against the virus.
FDA Updates Covid-19 Vaccine Label to Urge Use of ‘Sixth Dose’
The Food and Drug Administration has approved an updated label for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, urging that the sixth dose in vaccine vials be used.
COVID-19 Mortality Increased at VA When ICUs Were Most Slammed
Strain on intensive care units at the VA during the COVID-19 pandemic appeared to increase patient mortality.
VA Emergency Care, Urgent Care Units Challenged by the Pandemic
Every aspect of VA hospitals has been affected by the ongoing pandemic, but emergency care and urgent care have been disproportionately challenged, according to a VA Office of the Inspector General report.
VA Hospitals Grapple with COVID-19 Readmissions, Post-Discharge Deaths
Two approved vaccines and a drop in cases and hospitalizations in late January provided a spot of light after a year of grim news on the COVID-19 front.
Editor-In-Chief, Chester “Trip” Buckenmaier III, MD, COL (ret.), MC, USA
Anything that you can conceive of as a supply chain, blockchain can vastly improve its efficiency
“Anything that can conceive of as a supply chain, blockchain can vastly improve its efficiency—it doesn’t matter if its people, numbers, data, money.” —Ginni Rometty, CEO IBM
Well, we enjoyed five decent days in 2021 before the Jan. 6 insurrection; I guess we should hope for better in 2022. I am paraphrasing a statement I heard on social media (I am sorry that I do not have the original source). I feel like 2020 is analogous to a drunken college roommate who has been out all night involved in some unspeakable debauchery and comes home to vomit on your floor in the morning
Metabolic Changes Over Time Lead to RA
Rheumatoid arthritis tends to develop slowly over years. To better understand the process, a study looked at metabolic changes prior to RA onset using a large nontargeted metabolomics platform to identify novel pathways.
Depression Exacerbates Early Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis patients often suffer from depression which exacerbates disease activity and can decrease response to first-line disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.
More RA Disease Activity Linked to Higher Diabetes Risk
Considering that rheumatoid arthritis is associated with a higher risk of diabetes mellitus, a new study sought to determine associations between inflammatory disease activity and incident DM.
Monocyte Counts Aren’t Predictive of Prostate Cancer Results
How effective are circulating inflammatory markers such as monocyte counts for predicting prostate cancer outcomes? Not very, according to a study of veterans.
Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates Low in MHS
Even universal healthcare doesn’t assure that patients will take advantage of colorectal cancer screening.
Concerns Raised About Lack of Continuity of Care for VA’s IBD Patients
The lack of continuity of care among VA patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with poor outcomes, such as disease flares requiring corticosteroid treatment, hospitalization and surgical intervention.
DOACs Deemed Safer for Obese Veterans with Atrial Fibrillation Compared to Warfarin
Nine years after their first introduction, direct acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) hit the big time.
Secondary Prevention Therapies Underused in Young Veterans with ASCVD
More Americans die from heart disease than any other cause, but many fail to take steps known to protect the heart,
Bariatric Surgery Linked to Increased Unhealthy Alcohol Use in Veterans
Concerns about long-term effects after bariatric surgery have been heightened by a new study suggesting that unhealthy alcohol use in veterans was much more common after undergoing a bariatric surgical procedure.
Gen. Lloyd Austin Becomes First African American Defense Secretary
Lloyd J. Austin III made history when the retired four-star general was confirmed as the first African American Secretary of Defense last month.
Trump Administration’s Last-Minute Attempt to Fire USU President Went Nowhere
DoD officials advocated for the firing of Richard Thomas, MD, DDS, president of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
Denis McDonough Gets Bipartisan Confirmation as New VA Secretary
After what was a relatively easy, bipartisan confirmation process, Denis McDonough, President Joe Biden’s pick for VA secretary, is expected to be sworn in by early February.
Anything that you can conceive of as a supply chain, blockchain can vastly improve its efficiency
“Anything that can conceive of as a supply chain, blockchain can vastly improve its efficiency—it doesn’t matter if its people, numbers, data, money.” —Ginni Rometty, CEO IBM
Well, we enjoyed five decent days in 2021 before the Jan. 6 insurrection; I guess we should hope for better in 2022. I am paraphrasing a statement I heard on social media (I am sorry that I do not have the original source). I feel like 2020 is analogous to a drunken college roommate who has been out all night involved in some unspeakable debauchery and comes home to vomit on your floor in the morning
Metabolic Changes Over Time Lead to RA
Rheumatoid arthritis tends to develop slowly over years. To better understand the process, a study looked at metabolic changes prior to RA onset using a large nontargeted metabolomics platform to identify novel pathways.
Depression Exacerbates Early Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis patients often suffer from depression which exacerbates disease activity and can decrease response to first-line disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.
More RA Disease Activity Linked to Higher Diabetes Risk
Considering that rheumatoid arthritis is associated with a higher risk of diabetes mellitus, a new study sought to determine associations between inflammatory disease activity and incident DM.
Monocyte Counts Aren’t Predictive of Prostate Cancer Results
How effective are circulating inflammatory markers such as monocyte counts for predicting prostate cancer outcomes? Not very, according to a study of veterans.