Friday, February 19, 2010
VAOIG Review of the VA's New Claims Processors
Veterans Benefits Administration Review of New Hire Productivity and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Hiring Initiative 02/19/2010. In FYs 2007 and 2008, Congress appropriated $185 million to VBA to hire claims processors. In FY 2009, VBA received $150 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to hire about 2,300 claims processors. The Office of Inspector General conducted a review to assess VBA’s efforts to meet its hiring goals and the impact of VBA’s increased workforce on compensation and pension (C & P) claims workload. VAOIG
VAOIG Review of the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System Ann Arbor, Michigan
Combined Assessment Program Review of the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System Ann Arbor, Michigan 02/19/2010. The purpose of the review was to evaluate selected operations, focusing on patient care administration and quality management (QM). During the review, we also provided fraud and integrity awareness briefings to 111 employees. This review focused on seven operational activities and one follow up. We identified the Wait Times Reduced Through System Redesign as an organizational strength. We made recommendations for improvements in the following seven activities and one follow up: Coordination of care. Environment of care. Follow up on Diabetes and Atypical Antipsychotic Medications. Medication Management. Magnetic Resonance Imaging Safety. Physician Credentialing and Privileging. QM Program. VAOIG
Veterans Health IT Innovation Initiative
“Innovation Initiative” Underway for Health Records Improvements 02/19/2010.Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki launched the “Veterans Health IT Innovation Initiative,” an employee-based Health Information Technology (HIT) competition to spur VA’s transformation into a 21st Century organization that is Veteran-centric, results-oriented, and forward-looking. “This competition is rooted in the simple belief that the people who work on the front lines of VA know best how to improve health care and quality, access, and transparency in service to our Nation’s Veterans,” said Secretary Shinseki. “At VA, we always want to look for new ways to improve the care we deliver.” VA
Mesothelioma Has Destroyed Many Veterans' Lives
Veterans at risk for mesothelioma cancer, among other illnesses 02/19/2010. America is proud of those who have had the courage and made the sacrifices to serve in the United States Military. Unfortunately, as we know all too well, many veterans today still deal with mental and physical disorders as a result of their military service. These diseases range from mild to extreme and some are better known than others. One example of a lesser-known ailment that veterans encounter is related to toxic exposures. During the course of all United States conflict, and even in peacetime, military servicemen and women have often been exposed to harmful substances. One of the more common toxins that still affect veterans even today is asbestos. A Soldier's Perspective
TBI Treatment with Progesterone Enters Phase III Trials
Progesterone for traumatic brain injury tested in phase III clinical trial 02/19/2010. Douglas Smith, MD, director of the Center for Brain Injury and Repair and professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, will present information on the molecular mechanism at play in mild TBI (mTBI), commonly called concussions. Although mTBI affects over 1 million people each year in the United States, it is generally ignored as a major health issue. However, this 'mild' form of injury induces persisting neurological and cognitive problems in many of these patients, exacting an enormous emotional and financial toll on society. Emory University via Eurekalert!
Nothing is Mild About a Mild TBI
Mild traumatic brain injury, not so mild after all 02/19/10. Douglas Smith, M.D., director of the Center for Brain Injury and Repair and professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, will present information on the molecular mechanism at play in mild TBI (mTBI), commonly called concussions. Although mTBI affects over one million people each year in the United States, it is generally ignored as a major health issue. University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine via Eurekalert!
New PubMed Articles 19 Feb 2010
1.
Homaifar BY, Harwood JE, Wagner TH, Brenner LA.
2.
Lisi AJ, Goertz C, Lawrence DJ, Satyanarayana P.
3.
Foy R, Hempel S, Rubenstein L, Suttorp M, Seelig M, Shanman R, Shekelle PG.
4.
Yancy WS Jr, Westman EC, McDuffie JR, Grambow SC, Jeffreys AS, Bolton J, Chalecki A, Oddone EZ.
Arch Intern Med. 2010 Jan 25;170(2):136-45.PMID: 20101008 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articles
5.
Bedimo RJ, McGinnis KA, Dunlap M, Rodriguez-Barradas MC, Justice AC.
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2009 Oct 1;52(2):203-8.PMID: 19617846 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articles
6.
Sherbourne CD, Asch SM, Shugarman LR, Goebel JR, Lanto AB, Rubenstein LV, Wen L, Zubkoff L, Lorenz KA.
J Gen Intern Med. 2009 May;24(5):620-5. Epub 2009 Mar 24.PMID: 19308333 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articles
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Having Battlefield Buddies Helpful in the Long Run
Battlefield camaraderie yields long-term dividends for veterans, study finds 02/18/2010. he benefits of wartime camaraderie extend far beyond the battlefield, a new UCLA study of U.S. Civil War veterans suggests. Veterans who served in military units characterized by a strong esprit de corps were much less likely decades later to die of a stroke or heart condition than veterans from less cohesive companies, two UCLA economists have found. "On the battlefield, you'd expect your buddy to have your back," said Dora Kosta, the study's lead author and a UCLA professor of economics. "But the fact that camaraderie provides a protective effect that endures long after the war has ended is a new and surprising finding." UCLA via Eurekalert!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
New PubMed Articles 17 Feb 2010
1.
Fareed A, Casarella J, Roberts M, Sleboda M, Amar R, Vayalapalli S, Drexler K.
2.
Dissick A, Redman RS, Jones M, Rangan BV, Reimold A, Griffiths GR, Mikuls TR, Amdur RL, Richards JS, Kerr GS.
Recycling Energy to Restore Impaired Ankle Function during Human Walking
Artificial foot recycles energy for easier walking 02/17/2010. An artificial foot that recycles energy otherwise wasted in between steps could make it easier for amputees to walk, its developers say. "For amputees, what they experience when they're trying to walk normally is what I would experience if I were carrying an extra 30 pounds," said Art Kuo, professor in the University of Michigan departments of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. (free full-text) PLOS ONE
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
New PubMed Articles 16 Feb 2010
1.
Ivory PJ, Hendricks BL, Van Vliet D, Beyer CM, Abrams HB.
Trends Amplif. 2009;13(4):260-80.PMID: 20150189 [PubMed - in process]
2.
Oei HB, Hooker RS, Cipher DJ, Reimold A.
3.
Cruz M, Pincus HA, Welsh DE, Greenwald D, Lasky E, Kilbourne AM.
4.
Fischer MJ, Stroupe KT, Kaufman JS, O'Hare AM, Browning MM, Huo Z, Hynes DM.
Am J Manag Care. 2010 Feb 1;16(2):e57-66.PMID: 20148611 [PubMed - in process]Related articlesFree article
5.
Baker LD, Frank LL, Foster-Schubert K, Green PS, Wilkinson CW, McTiernan A, Plymate SR, Fishel MA, Watson GS, Cholerton BA, Duncan GE, Mehta PD, Craft S.
6.
Mularski RA, Munjas BA, Lorenz KA, Sun S, Robertson SJ, Schmelzer W, Kim AC, Shekelle PG.
J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Oct;15(10):1083-90.PMID: 19848546 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articles
7.
Tran Cao HS, Cosman BC, Devaraj B, Ramamoorthy S, Savides T, Krinsky ML, Horgan S, Talamini MA, Savu MK.
Surg Endosc. 2009 Oct;23(10):2364-8. Epub 2009 Mar 6.PMID: 19266235 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articlesFree article
Army Tries Holistic Health
Army Turns to Holistic Healing 02/16/2010. Since the Army introduced the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program in October 2009, there has been much focus on a holistic approach to physical, emotional, social, spiritual and family well-being. But what is holistic healing exactly? According to Lt. Col. Erica Clarkson, a U. S. Forces-Iraq physical therapist, holistic healing is an approach that uses natural methods to improve health, without using drugs or surgery to correct problems. DoD
New Vision Center of Excellence
New DoD/VA Center to Improve Eye Care 02/16/2010. The new Vision Center of Excellence (VCE) is beginning to take flight since it was formed at the behest of Congress to track eye injuries emanating from the war theater and improve treatment outcomes across the services and VA. Military Health System
Compassion Fatigue
DoD-VA Suicide Prevention Conference: Compassion Fatigue Can Plague Healthcare Providers 02/16/2010. Mental healthcare providers in the military are not immune from developing compassion fatigue, experts said at the 2010 DoD/VA Suicide Prevention Conference held last month. “We are not immune from compassion fatigue by a long shot,” said Capt Joan Hunter, USPHS, RN, who is the director of psychological health for the National Guard Bureau. U.S. Medicine
Following Physician's Medical Alerts in VA's Computerized Patient Record System
VA wants to track docs’ reaction to e-alerts 02/16/2010. The Veterans Affairs Department wants to be able to track when and how its physicians respond to medical alerts sent to them via the agency’s computerized patient record system (CPRS). CPRS, a part of the Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA), currently can only monitor whether providers click to acknowledge receipt of an abnormal diagnostic test result alert. Government Health IT
Monday, February 15, 2010
New PubMed Articles 15 Feb 2010
1.
Wilson SE.
Am J Public Health. 2010 Feb 10. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20147675 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related articles
2.
Le VV, Mitiku T, Hadley D, Myers J, Froelicher VF.
Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol. 2010 Jan;15(1):56-62.PMID: 20146783 [PubMed - in process]Related articles
Noomii and thePurple Heart Project Provide Online Life Coaching for Wounded Veterans
Web Start-Up Noomii Provides Online Life Coaching for Wounded Veterans 02/15/10. Web start-up Noomii.com and The Purple Heart Project have announced their partnership in a 6-month pilot project supporting wounded soldiers of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars through Noomii's interactive online coaching system. The joint venture between Noomii.com and The Purple Heart's certified co-active veteran coaching service will provide physically disabled soldiers returning from war with the necessary life skills to be functioning and productive in their personal and professional lives. The partnership offers web-based one-on-one and group coaching support, holding veterans accountable for the necessary steps forward throughout the 6-month program. 24-7 Press Release
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