According to former workers at the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL), staff burnout is putting veterans at risk because of managers who have no experience as responders, abusive spam callers and a focus on the number of callers served over the quality of that service.
VA Claimed Budget Cuts Will ‘Streamline Operations;’ Benefit Veterans
VA is planning to cut its IT budget and shed more than 10% of the Office of Information Technology (OIT) staff in a restructuring effort intended to streamline and improve services for veterans.
VA Has Backtracked on Cuts of 80,000 Employees This Year
VA leaders have walked back their controversial goal of cutting as many as 80,000 employees by the end of the year, an effort they described as necessary to eliminate bureaucratic waste.
Democrats Question Impartiality of Trump Administration’s VA OIG Nominee
According to Cheryl Mason, President Donald Trump’s nominee for VA inspector general, her role as a politically-appointed advisor to Secretary Douglas Collins will not impede her ability to act impartially as the department’s chief watchdog.
Canceled Contracts at VA, Lack of Transparency Fueling Controversy
Leading Democrats on the Senate and House VA Committees are calling for transparency from VA on the recent cancellation of hundreds of agency contracts, the full list of which department leaders have yet to provide despite months of requests.
Executive Order Could Have Far-Reaching Effects Inside VA
President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month directing VA to begin work on two major facilities while simultaneously strengthening the department’s ability to fire current employees.
Burnout Trends Persist Among VA Healthcare Workers Despite Post-Pandemic Decline
Burnout among healthcare workers in the VA soared during the COVID-19 pandemic and still remains a challenge, particularly in primary care, mental health and nursing services, according to a large new VA study.
VA Unions Fighting White House Order to Strip Collective Bargaining Rights
According to VA union leaders, President Donald Trump and VA officials are targeting unions involved in lawsuits against the administration, stripping millions of federal workers of collective bargaining rights, while rewarding those who stay silent.
Congressional VA Committee Members Seek to Mitigate Staff Cuts
The Trump administration’s plan to cut approximately 80,000 employees from VA is receiving pushback from both Republicans and Democrats in Congress.
Deputy VA Secretary Nominees Faces Hard Questions on Firings
At his confirmation hearing, President Donald Trump’s nominee for deputy VA secretary, Paul Lawrence, PhD, promised he would look into recent firings at VA
More than 1,000 Firings at VA Are Just the Beginning of ‘Generational Change’
President Donald Trump began his second term with a flurry of executive orders that have resulted in the firing of thousands of employees, including many at VA, with the promise of deeper cuts to come.
GOP Legislators Push Bill to Expedite Firing Authority for VA Employees
Republican legislators are again seeking to provide the VA secretary with expedited firing authority for VA employees that are deemed “bad actors.”
Martin Focuses on Improving Sleep-Disorder Treatment for Veterans
We spend approximately one-third of our lives asleep, but it’s only been in the last couple of decades that the medical community has begun to understand in detail just how important sleep can be to our lives.
Outgoing VA Secretary McDonough Concerned About Budget, Slow Hiring
In his final press conference, VA Secretary Denis McDonough discussed what he thinks should be the top priority for incoming department leaders.
Legislators Question Why VISN Leaders Were Unaware of Hampton VAMC Problems
Lawmakers are seeking answers to how quality control issues could manifest and then linger at the Hampton, VA, VAMC for years without VISN leaders being aware of them.
Report Highlights the Needs and Importance of Military, Veteran Caregivers
More than 14 million Americans now provide daily care to wounded, ill or injured military servicemembers or veterans, according to a new RAND report commissioned by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation.
Unintended Pregnancy Accounts for Loss of Almost 2.5 Million Military-Readiness Days
Almost 45% percent of pregnancies in the United States are unintended, with an estimated 4.5% of reproductive age women having an unintended pregnancy each year.
Does ‘Underserved’ Designation Demoralize Staff at VA Facilities?
For the past several years, VA has been identifying the most underserved facilities in its system and requiring them to create action plans to improve care to their veterans.
OIG: VISN Leaders Had No Awareness of Toxic Work Environment, Cardiac Surgery Delays at the Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
At the Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC, a toxic work environment caused by a handful of facility leaders resulted in mass resignations by top clinical staff and the closure of its cardiothoracic surgery program, according to a report from the VA Office of the Inspector General (OIG).
Closing in on More Than a Half Century of Cancer Breakthroughs, VA Continues Pioneering Work in Oncology
The VA has been at the forefront of cancer research in the United States. Starting with the establishment of its first tumor research laboratory in 1932 and groundbreaking work in the 1950s on the association between smoking and respiratory tract cancers, the agency has repeatedly changed the course of oncology.
Congress member Calls for McDonough Resignation Over Questionable Bonuses
VA Secretary Reminds Committee He Sought Investigation WASHINGTON, DC—A member of the House VA Committee has called on VA Secretary Denis McDonough to resign over the nearly $11 million in bonuses inappropriately paid to senior VA Central Office (VACO) officials....
In a Turnaround, Nearly All VA Hospitals Require Personnel to Get Flu Shots
In 2017, almost no healthcare personnel at VA hospitals reported in a survey that they had received mandatory influenza vaccinations. By 2021, almost all VA respondents said they had.
Ilem Advocates for Disabled Veterans for a Quarter Century
There’s a well-worn quote about how laws are like sausages, in that you should never either being made. In reality, the legislative process can be even messier, more laborious, and require even more hands in its construction.
OIG Report Puts Spotlight on Questionable Bonuses to Top VA Executives
In September 2023, VA revealed that it had erroneously awarded $10.8 million in bonuses to 182 senior executives at its central office using retention provisions included in the PACT Act.
Does ‘Underserved’ Designation Demoralize Staff at VA Facilities?
For the past several years, VA has been identifying the most underserved facilities in its system and requiring them to create action plans to improve care to their veterans.
VA Will Fund Medical Residencies in Underserved Areas Across the United States
In an effort to improve healthcare access for veterans in rural, trial and underserved areas across the United States, the VA is creating a new pilot program for graduate medical education.
McDonough: VA Can Only Be So Competitive in Physician Salaries
For many high-demand medical professions, VA will likely never be able to fully compete with the private sector, regardless of the breadth of benefits the department can offer, according to VA Secretary Denis McDonough.
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.
VA Has Good Record Hiring Some Minorities, but Few End Up in Top Management
Over the last decade, VA has increased the percentage of employees who are non-white, but those employees are more likely to be paid less, be fired more and receive fewer raises and awards, as well as, less vacation time, according to a new report.
Army Files Charges Against Anesthesiologist, Alleges Inappropriate Sexual Conduct
Sexual-assault charges have been filed by the Army against Maj. Michael Stockin, MD, an anesthesiologist stationed at the pain clinic at Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s Madigan Army Medical Center.