A recent Government Accountability Office report calls into question VA’s belief that upcoming IT modernization projects will fix long-standing problems in its medical supply chain.
Program Falls Short of Easing Servicemembers Return to Civilian Life
The Transition Assistance Program (TAP)—the joint effort by DoD, VA and DHS to help servicemembers transition to civilian life—is falling short of its goal, according to legislators and veterans’ advocates.
Academic Detailing Pharmacists Add Pandemic Role: Telehealth Champions
For academic detailers, acting as change agents is nothing new. It’s central to their work as clinical pharmacy specialists and educators. This year, the academic detailers at the VA found their transformative role included a new and urgent responsibility—increasing provider comfort with telehealth technology.
Death Rates Higher for Veterans Getting CV Procedure at Community Hospitals
Veterans who received a common cardiovascular procedure at VA facilities had a significantly lower risk of death than those being treated at a community hospital.
Spinal Cord Stimulator Reduces Veterans’ Opioid Usage
Spinal cord stimulator (SCS) implantation has shown some effectiveness for chronic pain, including painful musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).
Who Is More Likely to Have Phantom Limb Pain?
Phantom limb pain persists for veterans who undergo major upper limb amputation, according to a new study.
Opioid Prescribing Common to Military Spouses
While use and misuse of opioids by active-duty servicemembers has been examined in several studies, much less is known about use of painkillers by their spouses.
Bills Push VA to Presumptively Cover Cancer Treatment in New Groups of Veterans
Veterans who have developed illnesses after serving in recent conflicts have enlisted powerful supporters in their fight to gain presumptive coverage for their conditions.
Servicemembers Usually Diagnosed With Lung Cancer Earlier Than Civilians
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, killing more than 150,000 people each year. Lung cancer also poses a particularly high risk to servicemembers and veterans.
Epilepsy Diagnosis Not Always Accurate in Veterans
For years, the VA has tried to come up with ways to differentiate veterans who have epileptic seizures (ES) as opposed to psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES), which are especially common in those who fought in recent wars.
Neurological Condition Sometimes Underlies LUTS Diagnosis
Clinicians should be aware that underlying—and undiagnosed—neurological conditions could be involved in lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).
Advice on MS Treatment During COVID-19 Pandemic
Selecting appropriate treatments for multiple sclerosis is complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study.
Low Glutamate Diet Appears to Reduce GWI Symptoms in Veterans
The old adage, “you are what you eat” might have special relevance for veterans suffering from Gulf War Illness, a neurological disorder in veterans who served in the Persian Gulf War from 1990 to 1991.
DoD Leads the Charge Against COVID-19 Through Operation Warp Speed
The DoD is on the attack against a wily and deadly enemy that has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans, devastated populations in cities, and destroyed significant segments of the economy.
VA Makes It Easier for Veterans to Get Continuous Glucose Monitors
The VA’s new prescribing guidance for continuous glucose monitors significantly expands the number of veterans with diabetes who are eligible for the devices.
CGM Use Protects Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients, Healthcare Workers
COVID-19 and diabetes have proven to be a deadly combination. For patients infected with the novel coronavirus, diabetes more than doubles the odds of death.
DoD Revises Requirements for Continuous Glucose Monitoring Use
You can’t join the service with diabetes, so why should the DoD care about monitoring blood sugar in those diagnosed with the disease?
Older Veterans Are Able to Get VA Coverage for High-Dose Vaccines This Year
Public health officials across the country have warned that the combination of the COVID-19 pandemic and influenza could endanger a record number of Americans and overwhelm healthcare facilities this fall and winter.