Veterans Affairs News and Research

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UC researchers explore dynamics of bacterial evolution

Researchers found that as dominant members of the population surrendered to host immune defenses, they were replaced by a hyperaggressive, mutant minority population that thrived and took over the abandoned community to become the new majority.

15 May 2010

Disabled vets strain overburdened VA system

NPR: "The Department of Veterans Affairs is struggling to cope with tens of thousands of veterans filing for disability benefits. Because there are applicants from two current wars — plus a new wave from the first Gulf War and Vietnam — thousands are now stuck in the clogged pipeline." Although there are differing estimates of how many, "everyone agrees that way too many vets are waiting way too long to get benefits.

13 May 2010

First Edition: May 12, 2010

Today's headlines include reports about new congressional budget office projections that increase the 10-year costs of the health overhaul law.

12 May 2010

DOD struggles with health care costs, VA faces challenges in providing care

Defense Secretary Robert Gate spoke about the need to control soaring defense costs, especially health care expenses, while Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki responded to several health care challenges facing veterans' health care.

12 May 2010

Many pregnant women in the U.S. have insufficient vitamin D levels: Study

Seven out of every ten pregnant women in the United States are not getting enough Vitamin D according to a study published in the May issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. While prenatal vitamins do raise Vitamin D levels during pregnancy, the study shows that higher doses may be needed for many women.

12 May 2010

First Edition: May 11, 2010

Today's coverage includes more details regarding how the new health law moves forward with efforts to provide health insurance coverage to young adults.

11 May 2010

$Proton pump inhibitor use associated with fracture risk in postmenopausal women$

Proton pump inhibitor use associated with fracture risk in postmenopausal women

Proton pump inhibitors, medications that suppress acid in the stomach, appear to be associated with fractures in postmenopausal women and bacterial infections in many patients, and higher doses do not appear any more beneficial for treating bleeding ulcers, according to a series of reports in the May 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

11 May 2010

Obama signs bill to expand health care access for veterans, provide more caregiver benefits

President Barack Obama signed a bill Wednesday that expands access to health care for veterans and provides a monthly stipend and health care for caregivers of American soldiers severely injured in Afghanistan or Iraq, The Associated Press reports. "Under the bill, caregivers of the estimated 2,000 severely wounded veterans from the recent conflicts are eligible for training, a monthly stipend and health care.

7 May 2010

VA plans to limit surgeries at some of its facilities

The Department of Veterans Affairs will limit the kinds of surgeries at some hospitals after a review of surgical deaths at a hospital in southern Illinois, The Associated Press reports. "Under a new system, the VA has given each hospital a 'surgical complexity' level. Because of that, hospitals in at least five states — Louisiana, West Virginia, North Carolina, Illinois and Washington state — will now only perform less-complicated surgeries. The VA will pick up the tab for patients who have surgeries performed elsewhere" (Hefling, 5/6).

7 May 2010

WWP applauds President Obama for signing new law to care for wounded warriors

Wounded Warrior Project applauds President Obama for signing into law a measure that, for the first time, will ensure that families of veterans severely wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan receive comprehensive, coordinated financial and other support that will enable them to provide these warriors with needed home-care.

6 May 2010

Health Net reports net earnings of $16.1M in 2010 first quarter

Health Net, Inc. today announced 2010 first quarter GAAP net income of $16.1 million, or $0.16 per diluted share, compared with $22.0 million, or $0.21 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2009.

5 May 2010

Pilot pneumonia-prevention program reduces postoperative pneumonia in hospital surgical ward: Research

The results of new research results published in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons show that a pilot pneumonia-prevention program significantly reduced postoperative pneumonia in a hospital surgical ward.

4 May 2010

Mood and anxiety disorders associated with poor health outcomes

Rates of mood and anxiety disorders appear to decline with age but the conditions remain common in older adults, especially women, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

4 May 2010

Congress and the VA deal with complications of veterans' health care

The Associated Press/The Washington Post: Pressure from Congress telling the Department of Veterans Affairs that it should make it easier for veterans to settle their disability claims is seeing some controversy. "The system is dysfunctional, an open invitation to fraud. And the VA has proposed changes that could make deception even easier."

3 May 2010

EHR with controlled interventions can produce optimal BP control, reduce mortality

Electronic health records with controlled interventions can produce optimal blood pressure control and reduce mortality, according to data presented at the American Society of Hypertension Inc.'s 25th Annual Scientific Meeting and Exposition (ASH 2010).

3 May 2010

Left ventricular mass may help predict future cardiovascular and renal outcomes: Study

Data presented today at the American Society of Hypertension, Inc.'s 25th Annual Scientific Meeting and Exposition (ASH 2010) indicate that in men with high cardiovascular risk, left ventricular mass may help better predict future cardiovascular and renal outcomes, including hemodialysis.

3 May 2010

SGB procedure holds potential promise for PTSD treatment

Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Bethesda, MD, has published case reports detailing the successful treatment of combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder with a stellate ganglion block.

3 May 2010

Mass. report on insurers' financial health provides mixed portrait

"A long-awaited state report to be released today will probably add fuel to the debate about surging health costs by portraying a mixed financial picture of Massachusetts health insurers. The state's eight health insurers finished 2008 with a total surplus of $2.5 billion, a more than four-fold increase from 1999 when the study period began, according to a 17-page executive summary of the report from the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy that was obtained by the Globe."

3 May 2010

Health care reform in Massachusetts improves minority access for inpatient procedures: Researchers

Researchers from the Department of Veterans Affairs and Boston University School of Medicine have found that health care reform in Massachusetts has improved minority access for some inpatient procedures. These findings are being presented today at the annual Society of General Internal Medicine annual meetings in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

30 Apr 2010