Editor’s note: The VA asked if U.S. Medicine could help disseminate important information on its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is a discussion from some of the agency’s top leaders. By Carolyn Clancy, MD, Teresa Boyd, DO, and Scotte Hartronft, MD We believe...
Mortality, Amputation from Critical Limb Ischemia Declining at VA
IOWA CITY, IOWA — High rates of diabetes, obesity, smoking, and other risk factors elevate veterans’ risk of peripheral artery disease (PAD) and critical limb ischemia.
VA Trial Seeks to Determine if ADT Is Protective Against COVID-19 in Men
LOS ANGELES — That men tend to have worse outcomes with COVID-19 has been observed since the beginning of the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Sleep Apnea Increases Need for Opioids in Veterans
WEST HAVEN, CT — Does sleep disruption caused by obstructive sleep apnea lead to hyperalgesia and contribute to poor pain control and use of prescription opioids?
Auricular Acupuncture Effective for Short-Term Pain
FARGO, ND — Battlefield Acupuncture is a unique auricular procedure use by many VHA facilities, according to a new study which suggested that, based on past research, it can reduce pain for up to two weeks.
PTSD Raises Risk for Cancer Pain in VHA Patients
BOSTON — While research has shown a link between chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder, not much is known about the longitudinal course of pain and PTSD during cancer treatment, according to a new study.
Statin Effect on Death in Veterans With Prostate Cancer
SAN ANTONIO — As the most common cancer in men in the United States, prostate cancer is associated with a prolonged survival and patient care often includes optimizing other comorbidities, such as cardiovascular disease.
Does Medicare Policy Influence End-of-Life Care At VHA?
NEW HAVEN, CT — Although fee-for-service Medicare does not allows simultaneous receipt of cancer treatment and hospice care—i.e, concurrent care—VHA does.
VA Pushes for More Use of NSCLC Targeted Therapies
DURHAM, NC — To help guide therapeutic decisions for patients with advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer, Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) gene panels are often completed.
IHS Faces Challenges as Navajo Nation Becomes New COVID-19 Epicenter
WINDOW ROCK, AZ — The Indian Health Service) and the Native American communities it serves saw the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact reach new heights in May.
VA’s IG: Unrealistic EHR Rollout Could Have Put Patients at Risk
WASHINGTON — The VA Inspector General released two long-awaited reports last month examining problems with the roll-out of VA’s new electronic health record system at its pilot site, the Mann-Grandstaff VAMC in Spokane, WA, and the news was not good.
Too High Rate of Diabetes Therapy Intensification at VA Hospital Discharge
BOSTON — About 10% of older veterans discharged from VAMCS had their diabetes medication intensified, even though half of them were unlikely to benefit because either they already had reached their blood glucose goals or had limited life expectancy.
McCoy Helps Rural VA Clinic Use Telehealth to Improve COPD Care
EAST LIVERPOOL, OH — As VA facilities across the country are transferring veterans’ care wherever possible to telehealth in an attempt to promote social distancing and curtail unnecessary visits to hospitals and clinics, one rural outpatient clinic in Ohio is well ahead of the curve.
VA Vows to Be Better Prepared If COVID-19 Case Spike in Autumn
WASHINGTON — According to VA leaders, the department will be better prepared if COVID-19 infections spike again in the fall, as many health experts are predicting it will.
Satisfaction With Telehealth Visits Building Among VA-Treated Veterans
WASHINGTON — When the VA recently received $17.2 billion in funding from the CARES Act, one of the priorities was providing telehealth resources for veterans seeking in-home care.
VA Juggled Reopening While COVID-19 Increased in Some Areas
WASHINGTON—Last month, VA facilities were engaged in the same juggling act as healthcare organizations across the country—continuing to deal with a pandemic that in some areas of the country was worsening, while moving forward with plans to ease restrictions...
VA Defends Use of Hydroxychloroquine in Veterans With COVID-19
WASHINGTON — Legislators and veterans advocates are concerned about VA’s continued use of hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial also commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, on COVID-19 patients.
VA’s EHR Rollout Indefinitely Delayed by COVID-19 Pandemic
DoD Bidirectional Information Sharing Was Launched, However WASHINGTON—The rollout of VA’s new electronic health record system has been delayed again, this time due to the coronavirus. Just prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States, VA had announced it...
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