MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'department of veterans affairs'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:54:49 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096465&cid=t_235419_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fhealth-information-exchange-current-projects-inspiring-future-pathways There’s been a lot of talk lately about the future of health information exchange (HIE)—what it will mean 10, 15 or even 20 years down the road. There is no question that providers recognize the importance of HIE, and realize in combination with electronic health records (EHRs) that it will transform the practice of medicine. The question is whether providers are fully aware of the many HIE projects on the ground right now that already are beginning to impact patient care. read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096465 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 13:07:33 +0100 5096465 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813360&cid=t_235419_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F11%2Fva-mental-health-care-is-so-bad-its-unconstitutional%2F So says a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, after reviewing the evidence about the ability of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to offer an appropriately level of mental health care and treatment to returning soldiers. In this way, the costs of the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been grossly underestimated, because they don’t take into account the increased needs and costs of the vets’ ongoing and increasing mental health care. The longer we’re at war, the worse it’s going to get. According to the article on TIME.com about the recent ruling, not only do some vets have to wait weeks to get in to see a mental health professional at many VA medical centers, but there’s often no significant triaging ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813360 Wed, 11 May 2011 15:30:28 +0100 4813360 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4719885&cid=t_235419_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FjFmU0d2pZjw%2F By Christopher PrebleA little over a year ago, I posted two different graphs (with the help of my colleague Charles Zakaib) that showed the growth of U.S. national security spending vs. that of other NATO allies over the last ten years. The data, based on the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ annual Military Balance, showed that U.S. taxpayers spend far more on our military, both as a share of total economic output, and on a per capita basis, than do any of our allies. New data, for 2009, was made available in IISS’s Military Balance 2011, and the revised graphs are shown below. (Again, thanks to Charles for his help). As I suspected, the gap remains as wide as ever. In a few cases, it has grown wider. As you can see, the $2,101 that every American man, woman, and child ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4719885 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:37:31 +0100 4719885 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4684478&cid=t_235419_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FNeilVerselsHealthcareItBlog%2F%7E3%2F8o9rFUIBgWw%2F I’ve been starting to contribute a bit to InformationWeek. One of my first projects was interviewing five of the publication’s first-ever list of 25 leading healthcare CIOs. I wrote the profiles on Stephanie Reel of Johns Hopkins Health System, Lynn Vogel of MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Paul Tang of Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Bill Spooner of Sharp HealthCare and Craig Luigart of the Veterans Health Administration. The link above contains the full text, or you can download an abbreviated “print” edition in the form of the March InformationWeek Healthcare e-zine here. It’s not the first time I’ve written about CIOs for a national publication not specific to healthcare, but I’m pretty proud of reaching the pages of InformationWeek. Meanwhile, che... Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4684478 Wed, 06 Apr 2011 04:46:38 +0100 4684478 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4338068&cid=t_235419_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fhit-task-force-guidance-health-it In September 2010, Vivek Kundra, the Federal Chief Information Officer, and I issued guidance articulating five key health IT policy and technology principles for Federal health IT projects. read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4338068 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:52:45 +0100 4338068 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4159285&cid=t_235419_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F11%2F11%2Fin-honor-of-those-who-serve-2010%2F Today is Veteran’s Day, and we’d like to take a moment to honor those men and women who have chosen to serve our country in military service. With an all-voluntary armed forces, our country is at the mercy of individuals who, for little reason other than a desire to serve their country, willingly risk their lives and put their entire ordinary lives on hold (especially those in the National Guard and reservists). For you and I. We should do all that we can to ensure these folks come back to a country who welcomes them home, is thankful for their service, and provides them with all the necessary health and mental health care humanly possible. That’s our duty, as ordinary citizens, to recognize the sacrifice these men and women have made. I’d also like to take a moment... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4159285 Thu, 11 Nov 2010 19:00:45 +0100 4159285 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3311784&cid=t_235419_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fprogram-cancellations-show-system-can-work Given the number of reports, studies, and analyses that are produced by or for the federal government each year, it’s easy to wonder how much of the time and resources spent assessing policies and programs actually yield tangible results.  But then along comes a story that reminds us that, sometimes, the system works the way it’s supposed to. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3311784 Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:54:47 +0100 3311784 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3056744&cid=t_235419_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fbeacon-communities-proving-ground-health-it As a physician, I’m trained to rely on proven methods and seek evidence that new approaches to care will lead to better outcomes.  The new Beacon Community Program, announced today and funded at the level of $235 million through the HITECH Act, is designed with that approach in mind.  This program aims to further strengthen advanced health information exchange capabilities established wi (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3056744 Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:59:17 +0100 3056744 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2981138&cid=t_235419_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F11%2Fin-honor-of-veterans-2009%2F This Veterans Day, as we honor the sacrifices made by soldiers who’ve served and those who continue to do so, we mark the 91st anniversary of the end of World War I. It seems so long ago to most of us — ancient history. Yet history is a teacher and if we don’t listen, we’re bound to repeat the same mistakes. The mistake we’re repeating today is not doing enough to recognize and take care of veterans’ mental health needs. This isn’t some feel good mantra. This is a very real need that the military continues to have problems meeting. A professional, nonprofit that represents 1,600 behavioral healthcare organizations released a press release yesterday detailing some of the continuing issues. “For instance, while the Veterans Mental Health Act wa... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2981138 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:46:09 +0100 2981138 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2899031&cid=t_235419_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Fclinicalit.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F10%2Ftelehealth-at-va.html If you only follow me via this blog, I've been incommunicado for some time. But I've been extraordinarily busy the last few weeks, churning out issues of FierceHealthIT, FierceMobileHealthcare and FierceEMR each Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, respectively. I've just returned from covering the Medical Group Management Association's annual conference in Denver and, just for good measure, did a piece for my favourite British health IT publication, E-Health Insider.The E-Health Insider piece is an in-depth interview with Dr. Adam Darkins, chief consultant for care coordination and telehealth at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, about the vast telehealth infrastructure and programs at the VA. Darkins is scheduled to speak remotely to an EHI conference in Birmingham, England, next month, w... Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2899031 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:43:00 +0100 2899031 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2824220&cid=t_235419_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fkolodner-retires-federal-government Former national health IT coordinator and longtime Department of Veterans Affairs informatics leader Robert Kolodner, M.D., is retiring from the federal government today. Here's an excerpt of a note he sent out today: I am writing to let you know that today is my last day as a federal employee, after 31 gratifying years in public service. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2824220 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:08:33 +0100 2824220 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441688&cid=t_235419_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F28%2Fsoldiers-ordered-not-to-kill-themselves%2F Brig. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, according to CNN, has “in effect ordered his soldiers Wednesday not to commit suicide” in the 101st Airborne at Fort Campbell. Why? After nearly one soldier per week committed suicide at the post between January and mid-March, the Army instituted a suicide prevention program that “seemed to be having good effects” until last week, when two more suicides occurred, he said. Yes, these are not positive numbers and the Army needs to do more to combat the stigma of seeking help for a psychological concern such as depression. They can begin by promising soldiers that such treatment seeking will have no negative effect on their ability to move up in the Army and get promoted in the future. You wouldn’t hold someone from getting a pro... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441688 Thu, 28 May 2009 23:41:14 +0100 2441688