A longitudinal cohort study, published in the Annals of Epidemiology, determined if risk for accidental death overall, or the most common types of accidental deaths, varied over time in relation to when a soldier returned from a combat deployment.
VA Healthcare Found to Generally Be More Efficient Than Private Care
Several recent studies have shown that VA healthcare is consistently as good as—or better than—non-VA healthcare. Now a study shows VA healthcare is also more efficient.
Military Healthcare Beneficiaries Have Better NSCLS Survival.
Does the universal healthcare provided by the U.S. military health system (MHS) mean better lung cancer survival for patients? A new study suggested that is the case.
VA Trying to Pick Up Slack for Rural Veterans Losing Community Healthcare
VA has long struggled to provide care to veterans in rural areas of the country. Veterans living there are frequently required to drive long distances to VA hospitals, and smaller VA clinics are not always available.
Nearly 20% of Veterans Showed Decline During Pandemic
While most U.S. veterans maintained or improved physical and mental function a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, almost 20% showed a decline, according to a new study.
VA Healthcare, Fourth Mission Face Stresses From Continued Climate Change
With a worsening climate crisis, VA expects to be called upon more and more to implement its fourth mission—to act as a backstop for the nation’s overall healthcare network during times of emergency.
Veterans Treated in VAMCs for Some Common Conditions Had Better Outcomes
Outcomes were better for some common conditions among veterans treated in VA hospitals compared to community care, but the tradeoff often was higher resource use.
MHS Patients Receive Earlier Diagnoses for Colorectal, Other Cancers
Military Health System patients tend to receive earlier diagnoses of colon cancer and other types of malignancies than members of the general U.S. population covered by insurance, especially Medicaid.
DHA Restructures, Creating Nine Health Networks to Improve Care
In the first phase of a broader realignment, the Defense Health Agency has created nine Defense Health Networks (DHN) to take the place of what had been 20 direct-reporting medical markets, each a grouping of military hospitals and clinics with varying leadership rank structures.
Concerns Raised About ‘Buggy’ Website; VA’s Dependence on It
VA’s main website, va.gov, and several of its support systems have been the victim of bugs that have caused tens of thousands of VA benefits claims to go unprocessed.
Army Names Kenney and Petty Best Medics for 2023
Anyone with a 68W military occupation specialty signs up to go above and beyond the call of duty as a matter of course. As combat medic specialists, they provide life-saving treatment in the chaos and trauma of battle and accept responsibility for the health and well-being of their fellow soldiers on base.
Five Facilities Where New Cerner EHR Is Live Face Continuing Issues
As VA approaches the 3-year anniversary of the Cerner electronic health record system going live at its first site, the roll-out remains on indefinite hold as the department endeavors to fix problems at the five facilities where the system is active.
New Journal Article Decries Lack of Recognition for Military Medicine
A new Special Communication in JAMA Network Open decried that military medicine’s contribution to healthcare advances often are overlooked and that not enough communication occurs between civilian and military clinicians.
With Influx of Patients, VA Loses Ground in Filling Key Healthcare Positions
Despite a recent hiring surge, VA has been losing ground in filling key healthcare positions, with the number of severe shortages rising from this time last year.
Significant U.S. Military Response to Catastrophic Lahaina Wildfires in Hawaii
Devastating wildfires have been burning in Western Maui since the evening of Aug. 8, with Lahaina—the original capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom—being the area most affected on the island.
VAMCs Outperform Community Hospitals Overall in CMS Quality Measures
The first time VA hospitals were included in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services annual Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings, they aced it.
Key Differences Found Between Veterans Who Most Use VA, Those Who Don’t
The largest integrated healthcare system in the U.S., the VHA serves more than 9 million veterans enrolled in the VA healthcare program.
Despite Hiring at a Record Pace, VA Struggles to Meet PACT Act Demand
The 1-year anniversary occurred last month of the signing of the PACT Act—the sweeping legislation that expanded healthcare and benefits to veterans exposed to toxic substances during their service.
House Subcommittee Chair Expressed Concerns About VA Contractor Conflicts
VA spends more than $3 billion annually on management consulting contracts, relying on those contractors to help run nearly every facet of its operation in VHA and VBA.
House Version of NDAA Sets Up Fight With Democrat-Controlled Senate
The House of Representatives passed its version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by a narrow margin and with multiple controversial amendments targeting abortion access and gender-affirming healthcare for servicemembers, as well as diversity and inclusion efforts in the military.
New Equity Teams Seek to End Disparities in VA Care, Benefits
To ensure that quality VA care is being provided to all veterans regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual identity, an agency equity team is being established.
Military Plans for Casualty Care After Future Large-Scale Combat Operations
In planning and preparing for the future possibility of large-scale combat operations, military medicine might have to decide which wounded warriors can have delayed evacuations.
VA Adopts New Standards for Treating Older Veterans in EDs
The VA is trying to better serve its older patient population by adopting accredited geriatric emergency departments in many agency hospitals.
Survey Finds Greater Patient Satisfaction With Care From VA vs. Community
Patient satisfaction is higher with care received at VA hospitals than most community facilities, according to recent federal data which bolsters previous evidence of comparatively high-quality care provided by VHA facilities.
Retaliation Common Against ‘Whistleblowers’ Who Point Out VA Wrongdoing
Despite strong messaging over the last few years that VA would protect employees who come forward about wrongdoing in the workplace, the percentage of whistleblowers who experience retaliation from co-workers is growing.
VA Makes Argument in Congress for Its Record-Setting $325.1B Budget Request
VA vociferously defended its proposed FY2024 budget before Congress in an effort to justify the record-setting $325.1 billion request—a 5.4% increase over last year’s enacted budget.
VA’s Clinical Quality, Safety as Good or Better Than at Outside Care
A new review has determined that care provided in the VA healthcare system is consistently as good as or better than non-VA care in terms of clinical quality and safety.
At All Levels, Chief Medical Office Scavella Focused on Best Care for Veterans
For a VA physician, it can be a challenge to figure out the best treatment plan for a patient and implement it, and the victory comes when the veteran’s health and quality of life is improved.
Military Surgeons Deployed to Combat Environments Face Moral Injury, Distress
A new VA study may be the first to examine moral injury and distress at the intersection of these populations—that is, military healthcare professionals, specifically surgeons
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.