Race & Health Research

Defining the role of race in health research 04/24/09. Eight years ago, when the New England Journal of Medicine published two studies comparing the effects of drugs between black and white patients, a debate ensued on the journal's editorial pages and later in the media. VA R&D

Depression & Heart Disease

Depression and heart disease: What's the link? 04/24/09. Researchers have found, in study after study over decades, an undeniable link between emotional illness—namely depression—and heart disease. Not only is depression common among those with heart disease—in fact, it puts patients at greater risk for dying—but it also appears to play a role in causing heart disease in the first place. VA R&D

Supreme Court Decision on Denial of Veteran Medical Claims

Veterans Must Prove VA Failure To Provide Information Led to Denial of Medical Claims, Supreme Court Rules 04/22/09. The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in a 6-3 decision ruled that veterans who allege the Department of Veterans Affairs failed to tell them what information was needed to support their medical claims must prove that VA's actions affected the denial of their claims, the AP/Kansas City Star reports. A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., previously had ruled that it was the responsibility of VA to prove the mistakes were not harmful to the veterans. The case involved two veterans who were denied medical treatment for conditions that the VA board said could not be proven to be service related (AP/Kansas City Star, 4/21) KaiserNetwork.org

VAOIG Review of Manilla VA Clinic

Combined Assessment Program Review of the VA Manila Outpatient Clinic, Manila, Philippines 04/21/09. The purpose of the review was to evaluate selected operations, focusing on patient care administration and quality management (QM). During the review, we provided fraud and integrity awareness training to 84 employees. The review covered nine operational activities. The clinic complied with selected standards in the following three activities: (1) access to care – no show rates, (2) patient survey satisfaction scores, and (3) post-deployment screening. We identified system redesign, Joint Executive Board restructuring, timely compensation and pension exams, and the new VA facility as organizational strengths. We made recommendations for improvements in the following six activities: QM. Continuity of care. Environment of care. Controlled substances inspection program. Suicide prevention program. Staff competency assessments. VAOIG

POWER KNEE Unveiled

Next generation of the POWER KNEE(TM) in early release at Walter Reed Army Medical Center 04/21/09. Ossur, a global leader in non-invasive orthopedics, announced today that LTC Greg Gadson was fit last week at Walter Reed Army Medical Center with the second generation of the POWER KNEE by Ossur, the first technology to use sensors, power, artificial intelligence and actuators to provide amputees with the ability to walk naturally and safely without even thinking about it. Ossur via Eurekalert!

Meditation vs Depression

Meditation provides hope for people with depression 04/21/09. People with severe and recurrent depression could benefit from a new form of therapy that combines ancient forms of meditation with modern cognitive behaviour therapy, early-stage research by Oxford University psychologists suggests. The results of a small-scale randomised trial of the approach, called mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), in currently depressed patients are published in the journal Behaviour Research and Therapy. Oxford University via PhysOrg.com

VA's New "Returning Vets" Web Site

VA Welcomes Vets Home with New Web Site, Blog 04/20/09. The Veterans Affairs Department has launched its new “Returning Veterans” Web site to welcome home veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts with a site that focuses on their needs and questions. DefenseLink.mil

Agent Orange & Prostate Cancer

Agent Orange exposure increases veterans' risk of aggressive recurrence of prostate cancer 04/20/09. Veterans exposed to Agent Orange are at increased risk of aggressive recurrence of prostate cancer, researchers report. Medical College of Georgia via Eurekalert!