Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Megan E. Vanneman, Matthew H. Samore, Tianyu Zheng, Warren B. P. Pettey, Angela Fagerlin, Alex H. S. Harris
Summary: Following recent policy changes, younger Veterans now have more options for healthcare providers. This study focused on facility access and quality factors that can influence Veterans' decisions to enroll in the VA. The findings suggest that improving facility-specific quality of care can increase VA enrollment.
Letter
Medicine, General & Internal
Liam Rose, Anna Schmidt, Elizabeth Gehlert, Laura A. Graham, Marion Aouad, Todd H. Wagner
Summary: Using survey data, this cross-sectional study examines the correlation between reliance on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for health care and self-reported health among VA enrollees, considering different types of insurance coverage.
Article
Psychiatry
Juan Wang, Feng Jiang, Yating Yang, Yulong Zhang, Zhiwei Liu, Xiaorong Qin, Xueqin Tao, Tingfang Liu, Yuanli Liu, Yi-lang Tang, Huanzhong Liu, Robert O. Cotes
Summary: The study found that off-label use of antipsychotic medications is common in psychiatric inpatients in China, mainly with moderate-dose use of single agents. Younger age, having the Employee Health Insurance or Residents Health Insurance, having psychotic symptoms and requiring restraint during hospitalization were significantly associated with off-label use of antipsychotics.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Kate L. Sheahan, Karen M. Goldstein, Claire T. Than, Bevanne Bean-Mayberry, Catherine C. Chanfreau, Megan R. Gerber, Danielle E. Rose, Julian Brunner, Ismelda A. Canelo, Jill E. Darling Mshs, Sally Haskell, Alison B. Hamilton, Elizabeth M. Yano
Summary: The study surveyed 1,391 women Veterans who routinely use VA primary care, finding that they have significant multimorbid physical and mental health conditions and trauma histories, requiring continued investment in woman-centered primary care and emphasis on trauma-informed, age-specific care.
JOURNAL OF GENERAL INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Warren B. P. Pettey, Todd H. Wagner, Amy K. Rosen, Erin Beilstein-Wedel, Michael Shwartz, Megan E. Vanneman
Summary: The study found that although many veterans drove farther than needed to get cataract surgery in CC, this was not true for obtaining care in the VA. Our findings suggest that there may be additional reasons, besides driving distance, that affect whether Veterans choose CC and, if they do, where they seek CC.
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Jack Tsai, Dorota Szymkowiak, Rajiv Radhakrishnan
Summary: The study found that homeless and unstably housed (HUH) veterans were more likely to be prescribed antipsychotic medications, but were less likely to receive prescriptions for first-generation and second-generation antipsychotics in cases of severe mental illness. The usage of long-acting injectable second-generation antipsychotics and clozapine was also low in both HUH and non-HUH veterans.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Kristin M. Mattocks, Aimee Kroll-Desrosiers, Rebecca Kinney, Lori A. Bastian, Bevanne Bean-Mayberry, Karen M. Goldstein, Geetha Shivakumar, Laurel Copeland
Summary: This study found significant racial and geographic disparities in the rate of C-sections among pregnant Veterans receiving community obstetrical care. The C-section rate was associated with factors such as race, depression symptoms, body mass index, and age. Future research needs to focus on hospital variations, providers and hospital quality, and the types of providers available to women Veterans for obstetrical care paid for by the VA.
Review
Surgery
Mariah Blegen, Jamie Ko, Garrett Salzman, Meron M. Begashaw, Jesus G. Ulloa, Mark Girgis, Paul Shekelle, Melinda Maggard-Gibbons
Summary: In response to concerns about healthcare access and long wait times within the Veterans Health Administration (VA), Congress passed the Choice Act of 2014 and the MISSION Act of 2018 to create a program for patients to receive care in non-VA sites of care, paid by VA. A review of recent evidence comparing surgical care between VA and non-VA delivered care found that VA surgical care has similar or better quality and safety outcomes compared to non-VA sites of care, but non-VA care shows better cost/efficiency outcomes. The expansion of eligibility for veterans to receive care in the community may not increase access to surgical procedures or improve quality, but it may lead to shorter inpatient stays and potentially lower costs.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS
(2023)
Editorial Material
Education, Scientific Disciplines
Ismene L. Petrakis, Michael Kozal
Summary: The historic academic affiliation program between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and academic medical centers has reached its 75th anniversary, greatly influencing medical education, research, and clinical care in the United States. This article commemorates the anniversary by highlighting the areas in medicine that the partnership has impacted. The authors share examples of effective collaborations and reflect on limitations, while also discussing potential areas for future collaboration.
Article
Emergency Medicine
Comilla Sasson, Nathalie Dieujuste, Robert Klocko, Zahir Basrai, Manuel Celedon, Jonie Hsiao, Julianne Himstreet, Jonathan Hoffman, Cassidy Pfaff, Robert Malmstrom, Jason Smith, Ariel Holstein, Rachel Johnson-Koenke
Summary: Safer opioid prescribing patterns, naloxone distribution, and medications for opioid use disorder (M-OUD) are important for reducing opioid-related adverse events. Despite treatment guidelines and ED-based opioid safety programs implemented in VA Medical Centers, many Veterans with OUD do not receive these interventions. Qualitative interviews with VA health care professionals and staff revealed barriers to M-OUD initiation in the ED and confusion regarding naloxone distribution.
ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Maura Kennedy, Jennifer Koehl, Jingya Gao, Katherine A. Ciampa, Bryan D. Hayes, Carlos A. Camargo
Summary: Factors associated with administration of antipsychotics and sedatives in older emergency department patients include nursing home residence, dementia, delirium, CT or MR imaging, urbanicity of ED, female gender, and older age. Antipsychotic and sedative administration is linked to prolonged ED lengths of stay and hospital admission.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Anesthesiology
Patrick J. Hammett, Michael S. Businelle, Brent C. Taylor, Christopher R. Erbes, Lori Bastian, Neal Doran, Scott E. Sherman, Erin S. Rogers, Diana J. Burgess, Steven S. Fu
Summary: In a study of veteran smokers engaged in mental health services, smoking abstinence and nicotine withdrawal were associated with lower levels of pain, with variations observed among participants with different levels of pain severity.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Aaron L. Schwartz, Xinhua Zhao, Florentina E. Sileanu, Elijah Z. Lovelace, Liam Rose, Thomas R. Radomski, Carolyn T. Thorpe
Summary: This study aims to quantify the use of low-value services and found extensive variation in their utilization within the Veterans Health Administration. Although some facilities had higher rates of low-value service use, patient characteristics and operational factors did not significantly impact the utilization of these services.
JOURNAL OF GENERAL INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Cynthia Lucero-Obusan, Gina Oda, Anoshiravan Mostaghimi, Patricia Schirmer, Mark Holodniy
Summary: Praedico is a customizable surveillance and data analytics platform built on big data technologies. The system has been evaluated and found to be simple, flexible, and stable, with acceptable performance in terms of representativeness, timeliness, sensitivity, and Predictive Value Positive. However, there are still areas for improvement, including data quality and user acceptability. The system has the potential to be used for interdepartmental and interagency collaboration and public health data sharing.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Claudia Der-Martirosian, William Neil Steers, Heather Northcraft, Karen Chu, Aram Dobalian
Summary: With the surge of the COVID-19 Omicron variant in the U.S., there is a need for more research on increasing vaccination rates. This study examines the characteristics of veterans who were vaccinated and identifies groups that are less likely to get vaccinated, providing insights for targeted interventions.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
(2022)
