Health Care News
White House Launched Veterans' Complaint Hotline: Call 855-948-2311
Wednesday, May 31, 2017 | Category: Health Care - National
Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs Shulkin announced the White House "soft launch" of their veterans' complaint phone line on June 1st. Veterans can call 855-948-2311 to voice their concerns. The Secretary noted that the intent of the phone line is to allow "veterans to call in their complaints and concerns about conditions at the Department of Veterans Affairs."
An official launch will occur by August 15, 2017.
Facebook Live-Stream/Q & A May 23, 2017@ 2:00 p.m. EST: VA Office of Women's Health "Women Veterans' Health Panel"
Sunday, May 21, 2017 | Category: Health Care - National
VA Facebook site states:
'In observance of National Women's Health Week and Mental Health Awareness Month, which also occurs in May, the HHS Office on Women's Health is hosting a panel discussion with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Army Medicine and several others to raise awareness about women veteran's health.
Join us live on Facebook as we talk to experts and women veterans about steps that #womenvets can take to improve their health.'
When: May 23, 2017@ 2:00 p.m. EST
Collins Advocates for Improved Neonatal VA Benefits
Wednesday, February 8, 2017 | Category: Health Care - National
Newborn medical care within the Department of Veterans Affairs would be extended if H.R. 907, the Newborn Care Improvement Act, introduced by Congressman Doug Collins (R-Ga.) is passed. "Currently, female veterans can receive up to 42 days of post-delivery care from the VA, while their infants are limited to seven days of medical care. Veterans may face medical challenges linked to their service, including high-risk pregnancies. For example, females who give birth within a year of being affected by PTSD are 35% more likely to deliver prematurely, and that means greater health risks for their children."
Healing Retreats May Reduce PTSD Symptoms, Improve Relationships
Tuesday, September 13, 2016 | Category: Health Care - National
The Institute for the Health of Military Families released the findings of their study of four-day healing retreats. They found that: "Preliminary results indicate that therapeutic retreats can reduce post-traumatic stress symptoms in veterans and improve relationships for both veterans and their caregivers." Retreats include a variety of activities, including PTSD education, acupuncture, yoga and art therapy.
Military Hospitals Work to Improve Care of Women and Newborns
Tuesday, August 9, 2016 | Category: Health Care - National
A Government Accounting Office report found that all 41 domestic military hospitals offered general gynecological care, such as contraceptive services and cervical cancer screening. Basic maternity and neonatal care was offered at 37 of them and fewer offered more specialized care, such as treatment for gynecological cancers. In 2015, the Department of Defense’s Military Health System (MHS) collected data for 90 maternity, neonatal, and gynecological care quality measures. This data is being used to identify and improve lagging areas of care.
Women Veterans' Health Curriculum: VA Offers Online Educational Campus to Public
Thursday, July 7, 2016 | Category: Health Care - National
The Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) "Women's Health Curriculum" is available to the public. A great deal of women's health care that the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) does not yet offer at its nationwide Medical Centers and/or community-based clinics is fee-serviced out to community providers. These courses may prove beneficial to providers caring for women with military service.
VHA began providing medical and psychosocial services to women in 1988, when women represented 4.4% of all Veterans. Today, women Veterans make up more than 15% of the total US Veteran population. The majority of new female Veterans served in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and VHA recognizes that both provider and nursing personnel could benefit from a program to update their competencies in women's health.
mHealth Pilot Targets Underserved Women Veterans
Wednesday, June 29, 2016 | Category: Health Care - National
DMS Health Technologies notes that their interest in providing a fleet of mobile vans as a health care access alternative for women veterans was partially influenced by the April 2015 report, “U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Study of Barriers for Women Veterans to VA Health Care.” The Congressionally-mandated report stated that "more than seven of every 10 women veterans are not getting the healthcare they need at a VA facility because they’re uncomfortable there or the clinics and hospitals don’t have adequate services for female veterans. The report also indicated the VA doesn’t have any comprehensive data or analyses that would help solve that access issue." The specially equipped vans would include a range of services including mammogram technology, OB-GYN services, behavioral health counseling, cancer screening, lab work, wellness and health promotion. The $83 billion discretionary funding line item for this pilot project was included in the 2017 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. The Senate passed its version of the bill. The House version is in discussion, and if passed, both bills must be consolidated into one bill for a Congressional vote. Female veterans are the fastest growing veteran cohort.
Congress OKs Funding to Fill Gap in Women Vets’ Care With Mobile Clinic
Monday, May 23, 2016 | Category: Health Care - National
Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota stated that currently the VA medical centers nationwide do not have the infrastructure to provide gender-specific services such as mammograms, ultrasounds, and OB/GYN services. Proposed 2017 VA appropriations are $74.9 billion, an increase of $3.2 billlion. Within this bill is language that "presses the VA to improve health care for female veterans by considering the launch of a mobile health care pilot program," in part an outcome of the Congressionally-commissioned study on barriers to women veterans using in the VA health care system. One study finding was that "72 percent of the female vets don’t use their nearest VA facility for primary care because it lacked women’s health services." The study is linked in the article.
After Decades Avoiding the Water, Amputee Invents His Way to Dive Back In
Thursday, April 28, 2016 | Category: Health Care - National
Randy and Lori Lord of Danforth, Maine dedicated decades to developing a prosthetic to aid amputees to swim in their home kitchen. At one point they thought about giving up, but veterans returning from Iraq sparked their interest to continue. Today, they ship their "AMP FIN" worldwide. It is manufactured in Maine, they have a U.S. patent and are applying for country patents. They hope to open nationwide stores, managed exclusively by veterans.
Senator pushes to fund fertility services at VA
Thursday, April 14, 2016 | Category: Health Care - National
Washington State's Senator Patty Murray is again introducing legislation to ensure the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) isn't "denying veterans their dream of starting a family." Since 2012, she has introduced similar legislation. She believes that her proposed amendment is necessarily more far-reaching than House Veterans' Affairs Chairman Rep. Jeff Miller's legislation. Senator Murray's bill language would require VA to cover or provide the services whereas Congressman Miller's would pay "$20,000 in special compensation payments--over and above the disability compensation the veteran receives--to be used at the veteran's discretion."