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.
Despite Little Down Time, New Oracle-Cerner EHR Not Popular With Staff
According to VA, at least one aspect of its new Oracle-Cerner electronic health record (EHR) system is showing demonstrable improvement–a reduction in the number of times the system as a whole has been offline and inaccessible.
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.
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.
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.
Performance of Outsourced VA Disability Exams Continues to Raise Questions
Congress first granted VA the authority to contract veterans’ medical disability examinations (MDEs) out to non-VA medical staff in 1996. The goal of that original pilot program was to see whether doing so would speed up the exam process and get veterans their benefits sooner.
Eight Ways to Lengthen Life From a Recent Study of Veterans
Adopting eight healthy lifestyle habits by middle age can help substantially lengthen life, according to a new study of veterans.
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.
GAO Report Spotlights Medical Supply Issues at VA Healthcare Facilities
Each report the Government Accountability Office (GAO) submits to VA detailing weaknesses in the department comes attached with recommendations for solving the problems.
Ho Seeks to Reduce Barriers to Care—Inside and Outside VA
Michael Ho, MD, PhD, a staff cardiologist at VA Eastern Colorado Health Care, has spent much of his professional career studying how veterans access VA and the barriers that might stand in their way.
Severe Staffing Shortages Are Again Increasing at VA Medical Facilities
After years of improvements, severe staffing shortages are back on the rise at VA. According to a VA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report released last month, fiscal year 2022 put an end to a three-year staffing improvement
Cost of Community Care Has Risen Faster Than In-House VA Medical Care
President Joe Biden’s fiscal year 2023 budget request for VA totals $301.4 billion—an 13.3% jump from the FY22 enacted levels. This is in addition to an FY24 Advanced Appropriations request totaling $287 billion.
VA Leads Nation in Developing Valuation System for Health Care Innovation
The VA introduced a new value-driven framework for evaluating health care innovations in conjunction with the Digital Medicine Society (DiMe) at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) meeting in March.
Public Health Service Bill Seeks to Put Pandemic Lessons to Use
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee recently marked up the PREVENT Pandemics Act—a bipartisan piece of legislation combining ideas from over 37 different bills and dozens of legislators.
VA Studies Find Older Patients Unexpectedly Amenable to Deprescribing
Clinicians are often wary of suggesting that older patients discontinue some of their medications, believing they will get pushback.
New Line of USP <800> Labels Can Help Assure Staff, Patient Safety
Pharmacists and other healthcare professionals understand the importance of clearly identifying medications requiring special handling, such as those covered by USP <800> and that the safety of staff and patients is at stake.
Who Are Homeless Veterans and What Do They Really Need?
This city is home to the largest VAMC in the nation, as well the single largest population of U.S. veterans. Yet about 4,000 of the vets who call Los Angeles home actually have no home.
VA Seeks More Contractors to Support Expanding Telehealth Programs
As VA faces a post-pandemic landscape that includes an increased reliance on telehealth, it is looking to put its money where its healthcare needs are.
Aging Baby Boomers Will Require VA to Double Long-Term Care Spending
As the baby boomer generation begins to reach the age where they will require regular, long-term care, VA will be required to shift a huge portion of its resources to care for them.
VA Hospitals Outperform Others in COPD Readmission, Mortality Rates
In the last decade, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) have prioritized reducing avoidable hospital readmissions.
Legislators Question VA’s Significantly Increased Budget Request
In its FY 2022 budget proposal, VA is asking Congress to provide the department with a 10% increase over 2021 funding levels.
Problems With DoD-to-VA Transition Program Intensified by Pandemic
Transitioning from active duty military service to civilian life is difficult at the best of times. The pandemic added a host of new challenges, highlighted existing problems with the transitioning process and widened the cracks through which those veterans who are most in need of support are in danger of falling.
COVID-19 Pandemic Put Spotlight on VA’s Critical Supply Chain Problems
The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored VA’s lack of a comprehensive supply chain management program, and agency officials once again defended their progress before Congress.
Many Female VA Patients Appear to Have Undiagnosed OSA
Too many women veterans remained undiagnosed with sleep apnea, even if they were at high risk of adverse outcomes, according to a new study.
Mortality Rate Lower for Kidney Transplant Patients at VHA Than Outside Care
Mortality rates are lower for veterans who receive all of their post-kidney transplant care within the VHA than those who receive care outside the VA through Medicare coverage, according to a recent study.
Lawmakers Seek to Expand VA Coverage Related to Fertility Issues
Veterans who have service-connected infertility issues should have access to the full range of fertility services science now available, especially in vitro fertilization, without the constraints imposed by antiquated and sometimes nonsensical regulations, legislators and veterans’ advocates argued last month.
Servicemembers Affected by Toxic Exposures Need More Specialized Healthcare
Government medical agencies need to view toxic exposure as a high-priority issue deserving of specialized centers for research and monitoring.
GAO Reports Calls for Suspension of VA EHR Rollout to Resolve Problems
The VA should consider pausing the rollout of its new electronic health record system until problems discovered during earlier deployment stages are addressed
VA Officials: Pandemic Recovery Expected to Strain VA Funding
The aftermath of the pandemic at VA will require as much emergency funding, if not more, than was required during the actual pandemic, according to VA leadership.
GAO Finds Problems With Oversight of Community Healthcare Providers
MISSION Act critics have raised alarms about the legislation consolidating and expanding VA’s community care program– that healthcare provided by non-VA providers would fail to meet VA’s standards.