VA has put the nationwide rollout of its new electronic health record (EHR) modernization program on pause to conduct an assessment of challenges at the pilot site at the Mann-Grandstaff VAMC in Spokane, WA.
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
Technology Helps Veterans Better Manage Diabetes During Pandemic Restrictions
Across the country, diabetes patients have faced extraordinary challenges throughout the pandemic.
Yuen Used Technology to Create COVID-19 Screening Tool for VA
It was working at VA that, for Kaeli Yuen, MD, sparked a passion for finding new ways that health information technology can ease the burden on overworked, schedule-packed clinicians.
House VA Committee Advises on Protecting Veterans From Social Media
Veterans are regularly being targeted by social media, according to a report by the House VA Committee which recommends what VA and DoD can do to address the issue.
VA Plagued by Data Breaches, Hacks – Including One Recently
WASHINGTON—A data breach exposed the personal information of more than 46,000 veterans this summer, the VA recently revealed. Hackers gained access to VA’s Financial Services Center (FSC), diverting payments meant for community care providers. According to VA...
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.
Nursing Assistant Pleads Guilty to Insulin Deaths at Johnson VAMC
A VA nursing assistant has pleaded guilty to seven counts of second-degree murder and one count of assault with intent to commit murder in the deaths of eight veterans at the Louis A. Johnson VAMC.
With COVID-19 Cases Still Climbing, VA Seeks to Improve Telehealth
While the number of COVID-19 cases being actively treated at VA facilities declined, the total number of infections and deaths rose steadily in July and August.
Study Urges Integration of Co-Morbid Mental Health, Substance Use Treatment
Many mental health programs will not accept patients with active substance use issues. That effectively denies treatment to many veterans who have served in the past 20 years, among whom co-occurring substance use disorders and mental health disorders are particularly common.
VA Takes Multi-track Approach for Veterans with Serious Mental Illness
WASHINGTON—The COVID-19 pandemic closed many hospitals and clinics across the U.S. this spring, but that didn’t stop the VA from supporting veterans with serious mental illness. To the contrary, it led to an expansion of service approaches that may prove valuable even...
VA Program ‘Annie’ Helps Veterans Cope during Pandemic
LOUISVILLE, KY—Veterans struggling with anxiety, depression, and isolation as COVID-19 continues to rage across the country have a virtual buddy to help them through. Annie, a new program from the VA’s Office of Connected Care, provides guidance to veterans to manage...
COVID-19 Pandemic Might Lead the Way for More Inpatient CGM Use
Devices Allow Remote Monitoring of Blood Glucose Levels ATLANTA—A silver lining in the dark cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic might be that healthcare systems have been forced to reconsider many processes, especially those involving close contact with patients. According...
Slow Reopening After COVID-19 Closures Means VHA Backlogs
WASHINGTON—As VA facilities across the country begin the process of a staggered reopening, most are facing a backlog of appointments, surgeries and disability examinations. While some healthcare needs were able to be met through telehealth during the last few months,...
Vigilance at VA Community Living Centers in the Time of COVID-19
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...
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.
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.
Teledermoscopy Enhances Remote Dermatology Consults
PORTSMOUTH, VA—Use of teledermatology has increased at military treatment facilities in response to greater demand for dermatologic care throughout military medicine and persistent, dermatologic provider shortages, according to a new study. The article in Military...