Podcasts about veterans health administration vha

The Department of Veterans Affairs aims to develop and apply innovative AI solutions, boost interoperability and transform the agency by facilitating a learning environment that supports the delivery of benefits and services to veterans. At HIMSS in Las Vegas, Dr. Shane McNamee, senior advisor to the chief medical information officer for health solution architecture at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and Dr. Johnathan Nebeker, executive director of Clinical Informatics at VA, discuss how they're improving data integrity and interoperability to unlock AI's full potential, as well as how AI-driven personalization is enhancing patient care. McNamee and Nebeker also highlight how the PACT Act has increased the need to leverage innovation to support the influx of claims and benefits delivery. They explain the department's efforts with workflow automation, recent AI use cases and the game-changing technologies on the horizon.

Shereef Elnahal, MD, MBA Under Secretary for Health at the Department of Veterans Affairs, joins Eric to discuss the transformative potential of psychedelic-assisted therapies for veterans. The conversation explores the VA's groundbreaking initiatives, including their funding of studies on MDMA and psilocybin, and how these therapies address conditions like PTSD, depression, and addiction.    Dr. Elnahal highlights the VA's role as a leader in mental health research and shares a vision for how these breakthrough therapies could revolutionize care for millions. Learn how veterans themselves have driven this agenda, the promising outcomes from early studies, and the significant hurdles in bringing these therapies to scale.    Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on the future of mental health treatment for veterans and how the integration of psychedelic-assisted therapies could revolutionize care and improve the quality of life for those who have served.   About Dr. Elnahal Dr. Shereef Elnahal is Under Secretary for Health at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). He was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden and confirmed by the United States Senate on July 21, 2022. As the Under Secretary for Health, Dr. Elnahal directs a health care system with an annual budget of approximately $102.2 billion, overseeing the delivery of care to more than 9 million enrolled Veterans. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at over 1,300 health care facilities, including 171 VA Medical Centers and 1,120 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics). VHA is the nation's largest provider of graduate medical education and a major contributor to medical and scientific research. More than 73,000 active volunteers, 127,000 health professions trainees, and more than 362,000 health care professionals and support staff are an integral part of the VHA community.   Dr. Elnahal is physician leader who previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of University Hospital in Newark, NJ from 2019 through 2022. Dr. Elnahal led University Hospital through the COVID-19 public health emergency. The hospital has served as a model for urban hospital and regional response efforts. In addition to his leadership during the pandemic, Dr. Elnahal oversaw substantial improvements in care quality and patient safety at University Hospital, leading to improvements against national benchmarks. Prior to his time at University Hospital, Elnahal served as New Jersey's 21st Health Commissioner, appointed to the Cabinet post by Governor Phil Murphy and confirmed unanimously by the New Jersey Senate. During his nearly two years as Commissioner, he expanded the New Jersey Health Information Network, an interoperability platform that allows for electronic exchange of patient health information among healthcare providers. He worked closely with New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy on her Nurture NJ campaign to help improve infant and maternal health outcomes and reduce health disparities—a mission he continued at University Hospital, with its top tier maternal health services. He also made strides in curbing the opioid epidemic, granting funding to institutions to facilitate data sharing and public health reporting, and marked NJ as the first state in the nation to allow EMS responders to use buprenorphine in the field to prevent withdrawal after naloxone. Dr. Elnahal previously served as VA's Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Quality, Safety, and Value from 2016 through 2018, overseeing national policies around quality of care for the VHA, and as a White House Fellow in the VA from 2015-16. During that time, he co-founded the VHA Innovation Ecosystem, a program that continues to foster the spread of innovation and best practices that improve Veteran care across the nation. Dr. Elnahal holds an M.D. from Harvard Medical School and an M.B.A. with Distinction from Harvard Business School. Press Release from VA New research would determine the benefit of psychedelics for treating PTSD and depression in Veterans: https://news.va.gov/press-room/to-improve-care-for-veterans-va-to-fund-studies-on-new-therapies-for-treating-mental-health-conditions/   VA Health: https://www.va.gov/health-care/   VA Mental Health Resources: https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/index.asp   Bright Spots in Healthcare is produced by Bright Spots Ventures Bright Spots Ventures brings healthcare leaders together to share working solution or "bright spots" to common challenges. We build valuable and meaningful relationships through our Bright Spots in Healthcare podcast, webinar series, leadership councils, customized peer events, and sales and go-to-market consulting. We believe that finding a bright spot and cloning it is the most effective strategy to improve healthcare in our lifetime. Visit our website at www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com

Welcome to The Veterans Disability Nexus, where we provide unique insights and expertise on medical evidence related to VA-rated disabilities.Leah Bucholz, a US Army Veteran, Physician Assistant, & former Compensation & Pension Examiner shares her knowledge related to Independent Medical Opinions often referred to as “Nexus Letters” in support of your pursuit of VA Disability every Wednesday at 7 AM.In this video, Leah, discusses community care for veterans under the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). She explains how veterans can access health care from local community providers when the VA cannot provide the necessary services. Leah emphasizes the eligibility criteria, such as being enrolled in VA healthcare and obtaining prior approval from the VA. She highlights various types of community care, including urgent care, emergency care, and specialty services, and explains how veterans can use the VA website to find in-network providers. She encourages veterans to explore these benefits and praises the VA for offering valuable healthcare services, sharing her positive experiences using VA healthcare.

What role does innovation play in the federal government, especially when it comes to healthcare? On this episode of Innovation Storytellers, we take a deep dive into the innovation happening at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) with Allison Amrhein, Director of the VHA Innovators Network. Allison brings us behind the scenes, sharing how the VA empowers frontline employees and veterans to identify problems and collaborate on solutions that impact real lives. It's not about fancy tech—it's about solving everyday challenges. From building a sense of community among employees to fostering a culture of human-centered design, the VA is showing how innovation can happen anywhere, even in the most traditional environments. During our conversation, Allison explains how the VA focuses on identifying problems before jumping to solutions—a mindset that has transformed how healthcare providers and veterans innovate together. We also explore the VA's Greenhouse Initiative, a program that connects industry and entrepreneurs with the VA to shape products not yet on the market.  

Back in 2022, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) launched a multiyear hiring initiative to expand veterans' access to substance use disorder treatment. The agency's inspector general recently reviewed that initiative to see if it was successful in improving VA's ability to treat substance abuse. It found that things could have gone a little bitter. To find out more, we welcome back Leigh Ann Searight, Deputy Assistant Inspector General for VA OIG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Back in 2022, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) launched a multiyear hiring initiative to expand veterans' access to substance use disorder treatment. The agency's inspector general recently reviewed that initiative to see if it was successful in improving VA's ability to treat substance abuse. It found that things could have gone a little bitter. To find out more, we welcome back Leigh Ann Searight, Deputy Assistant Inspector General for VA OIG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Send us a Text Message.What was it like running the country's largest and most extensive health care delivery system during a global pandemic that stressed every government sector? On this episode of the S.O.S. podcast, meet Dr. Richard Stone, a physician, a combat veteran, and former head of the Veterans Health Administration. Starting in December 2019, his team was tasked to perform the near impossible to care for those who served and take on an unprecedented natural disaster response mission that tested every leader and resource available. Learn Dr. Stone's best practices for calm leadership under fire and what he suggests for future pandemic responses. What best practices and lessons learned did he take from this crisis?Dr. Richard Stone served as the Acting Undersecretary for Health at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), where he directed a health care system with an annual budget of approximately $68 billion, overseeing the delivery of care to more than 9 million enrolled veterans. Dr. Stone chronicled leadership challenges in crisis in his book, Save Every Life You Can: A Reflection on Leadership and Saving Lives During the COVID-19 Pandemic, published in 2022. In the book he discusses the serious organizational and decision-making challenges he faced while leading the nation's largest health care system through the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Stone is retired from the U.S. Army where he served as the Army's Deputy Surgeon General and the Deputy Commanding General of Support for U.S. Army MEDCOM.   With extensive experience in civilian health care, Dr. Stone served multiple non-profit regional health care systems and has owned multiple businesses. Currently a practicing dermatologist, he obtained his training from Wayne State Affiliated programs in Detroit and the VA Health system and is a Board Certified fellow in the American Academy of Dermatology. Book Save Every Life You CanVisit my website: https://thehello.llc/THERESACARPENTERRead my writings on my blog: https://www.theresatapestries.com/Listen to other episodes on my podcast: https://storiesofservice.buzzsprout.comWatch episodes of my podcast:https://www.youtube.com/c/TheresaCarpenter76

What is the mission of the Strategic Initiatives Lab (Strat Lab) at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA)? How is it using virtual reality and other immersive technologies to change how the department serves veterans? What does the future hold for the VHA's Strat Lab? Join host Michael Keegan as he explores these questions and more with Dr. Anne Bailey, Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives Lab within the Veterans Health Administration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What is the mission of the Strategic Initiatives Lab (Strat Lab) at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA)? How is it using virtual reality and other immersive technologies to change how the department serves veterans? What does the future hold for the VHA's Strat Lab? Join host Michael Keegan as he explores these questions and more with Dr. Anne Bailey, Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives Lab within the Veterans Health Administration.

What is the mission of the Strategic Initiatives Lab (Strat Lab) at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA)? How is it using virtual reality and other immersive technologies to change how the department serves veterans? What does the future hold for the VHA's Strat Lab? Join host Michael Keegan as he explores these questions and more with Dr. Anne Bailey, Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives Lab within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What is the mission of the Strategic Initiatives Lab (Strat Lab) at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA)? How is it using virtual reality and other immersive technologies to change how the department serves veterans? What does the future hold for the VHA's Strat Lab? Join host Michael Keegan as he explores these questions and more with Dr. Anne Bailey, Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives Lab within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). 

In this episode we talk to Marine Corps Veteran and certified lead peer specialist, Ms. Sonya Ebhotemen about the role of the peer specialist in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). She also discusses peer support services that are designed specifically for women Veterans and the benefits to working with VHA peer specialists.

The last thing the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) needs is new employees who have a substance use disorder or or felons with access to VA pharmacies. But the agency lacks a consistent procedure for finding out about such people from the Drug Enforcement Administration. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the VHA, in fact, hired thousands of people who might have drug-related convictions. For more, Federal Drive Host Tom Temin talked with Seto Bagdoyan, GAO's Director of Forensic Audits and Investigations.GAO Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The last thing the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) needs is new employees who have a substance use disorder or or felons with access to VA pharmacies. But the agency lacks a consistent procedure for finding out about such people from the Drug Enforcement Administration. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the VHA, in fact, hired thousands of people who might have drug-related convictions. For more, Federal Drive Host Tom Temin talked with Seto Bagdoyan, GAO's Director of Forensic Audits and Investigations. GAO Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Henri is joined by Suzanne Gordon from the Health Care Policy Institute to delve into issues concerning the privatization of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the future of healthcare in […]

Send us a Text Message.Dr. Colleen Richardson serves as the Executive Director (ED) of the CaregiverSupport Program (CSP), Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Dr. Richardson isthe principal advisor for the Caregiver Support Program, which provides resourcesand education to Veterans and their Caregivers. Dr. Richardson is currentlyresponsible for the national implementation and oversight of two national programsand associated services for the CSP, the Program of General Caregiver SupportServices and the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. Asthe Executive Director of the CSP, her responsibility is to sustain the program inaccordance with Public Law 111-163, Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus HealthServices Act of 2010, and the VA MISSION Act of 2018. Dr. Richardson directs aProgram Office with an annual budget of $1.8 billion, overseeing the delivery of careto more than 55,000 Veterans and caregivers.Prior to joining the CSP, Dr. Richardson served as the Chief of Psychology at the North Texas Health Care System in Dallas, Texas where she oversaw the Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) and the clinical practice of over 85 psychologists within the Mental Health Service.Support the Show.Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver Sisterhood of Care, LLC Website: www.confessionsofareluctantcaregiver.com Like us on Facebook! Tweet with us on Twitter! Follow us on Instagram! Watch us on Youtube! Pin us on Pinterest! Link us on LinkedIn!Tune in on Whole Care Network

Women veterans represent the fastest-growing demographic in the U.S. military, with their numbers expected to comprise 18% of the total U.S. veteran population by 2042. Transitioning from military to civilian life can trigger significant stress, often leading to mental and physical health problems, with female veterans experiencing higher rates of such problems than their male counterparts. Despite utilizing Veterans Health Administration (VHA) services intensively, they face barriers to mental healthcare, such as access to care, gender-specific programs, and a lack of women doctors. Although the VHA has implemented changes to address these issues, recent surveys suggest that more needs to be done to improve the quality and accessibility of mental healthcare services for women veterans.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has been steadily improving the way it delivers health care to a growing segment of the veteran population: Women. Research has unpinned many of the care initiatives. To learn more about what is behind much of that research, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with someone deeply involved it, as well as a recipient of a special VA Secretary's award. Based in Los Angeles, Elizabeth "Becky" Yano is Director and Co-Founder of the VA Women's Health Research Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has been steadily improving the way it delivers health care to a growing segment of the veteran population: Women. Research has unpinned many of the care initiatives. To learn more about what is behind much of that research, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with someone deeply involved it, as well as a recipient of a special VA Secretary's award. Based in Los Angeles, Elizabeth "Becky" Yano is Director and Co-Founder of the VA Women's Health Research Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Richard Stone is a retired Army Major General who served as the Deputy Surgeon General of the Army. He had also previously served as the Executive in Charge of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) with authority to perform the duties of the Under Secretary for Health during the COVID-19 pandemic.    In this role, Dr. Stone became the first official in this position in 30 years to have actual combat experience. He tells us how he needed to become a “calm pillar” during the chaos of COVID and how 70% of veterans have had combat experience, making them a unique group that must be advocated for.   There are a number of challenges in the VHA, including aging facilities that need to be redesigned for modern healthcare. Dr. Stone emphasizes the benefits of recreational therapy as an alternative to pharmaceutical treatment and he shares how much it alleviates the pain of vets when he helps them learn how to surf.      Get your copy of Save Every Life You Can: https://amzn.to/3Bnnnfe    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  Dr. Richard stone is a Dermatologist and retired Army Major General who served as the Deputy Surgeon General of the US Army.  He currently is a Specialist Executive at Deloitte since November 2021. Previously he served as the Executive in Charge, Veterans Health Administration (VHA), with authority to perform the functions and duties of the Under Secretary for Health during the COVID-19 pandemic.   In this episode, Dr. Stone describes the enormous challenges faced by the VHA during a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic.  He discusses the principles of leadership, often gained during his experience in Military Medicine, that informed his decisions and actions during these turbulent times.  Dr. Stone cataloged his insights and lessons in a memoir entitled “Save Every Life You Can- A Reflection on Leadership and Saving Lives During the COVID-19 Pandemic, " widely available online and in bookstores.   We talk about what led him to write a book and why it is an important work that will help improve healthcare delivery in the future when we face the next pandemic crisis. Dr. Stone outlines specific steps to improve our future response and provides some excellent leadership advice on leading in challenging times, helping the team succeed despite many hurdles and roadblocks, and dealing with an uncertain future. Find out more and join Team WarDocs at https://www.wardocspodcast.com/ Check our list of previous guests at https://www.wardocspodcast.com/episodes Dr. Stone's Book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/2ObCxHp   Honoring the Legacy and Preserving the History of Military Medicine The WarDocs Mission is to honor the legacy, preserve the oral history, and showcase career opportunities, unique expeditionary experiences, and achievements of Military Medicine. Foster patriotism and pride in Who we are, What we do, and, most importantly, How we serve Our Patients, the DoD, and Our Nation. Listen to the “What We Are For” Episode 47. https://bit.ly/3r87Afm WarDocs- The Military Medicine Podcast is a Non-Profit, Tax-exempt-501(c)(3) Veteran Run Organization run by volunteers. All donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of donations go to honoring and preserving the history, experiences, successes, and lessons learned in military medicine. A tax receipt will be sent to you. WARDOCS documents the experiences, contributions, and innovations of all military medicine Services, ranks, and Corps (affectionately called "Doc"—an earned title of respect, trust, and confidence) who are dedicated to the medical care of our fellow comrades-in-arms (both on and off the battlefield), our Wounded Warriors and our military Families.            Follow Us on Social Media Twitter: @wardocspodcast Facebook: WarDocs Podcast Instagram: @wardocspodcast LinkedIn: WarDocs-The Military Medicine Podcast

This week we meet the former Undersecretary of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) – U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, learn about the Month of the Military Child events with representatives from the MN National Guard Youth Programs and Mall of … Continue reading → The post Former VHA Undersecretary and Youth Programs appeared first on Minnesota Military Radio.

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) manages the disbursement of benefits to veterans and their dependents. Meanwhile, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is tasked with serving the millions of veterans enrolled in VA health care. Join the CCK team as we review how these two programs operate and discuss instances in which they work together. Be sure to tune in to this informative episode! For more information, visit our website at cck-law.com Follow us on social media: YouTube - http://bit.ly/CCKYTL Facebook - http://bit.ly/CCKFBL Instagram - http://bit.ly/CCKINL Twitter - http://bit.ly/CCKTL

In honor of Veterans Day 2022, Rear Admiral (RDML) Pam Schweitzer, PharmD is my guest.   She is a pharmacist, and she was the first female Assistant Surgeon General of the United States.  She retired in 2018.  You will hear me address her as “Pam” throughout the interview as we discuss  Her career in the Public Health Service (PHS), The PHS Women's Leadership Support Group (WLSG), Her vision for interoperable medication lists, Her appearance in an upcoming PBS Documentary called the Invisible Corps, And more!    Bio Rear Admiral (RDML) Pamela Schweitzer retired in September 2018 from a four-year term as the Assistant Surgeon General and 10th Chief Pharmacist Officer of the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps. As Chief Pharmacist Officer (first female in this role), RDML Schweitzer was responsible for providing leadership and coordination of more than 1,300 PHS pharmacy officers in 13 agencies with the Office of the Surgeon General and the Department of Health & Human Services.   Of her 29-year career in federal service, she most recently served at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).  Previously, she served in varied assignments in the Indian Health Service (IHS) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Since retiring, she continues working on a number of public health related projects, improving health and access to healthcare, interoperability and reimbursement for clinical services.   RDML (ret) Schweitzer was recently honored as part of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Campaign, “Next 10 Women in Pharmacy,” representing the many women who serve in federal pharmacy, both uniformed service and civilians.    Thank you for listening to episode 185 of The Pharmacist's Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com.  Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 185. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist's Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible

Dr. Richard Stone joins the show to discuss his new book, Save Every Life You Can: A Reflection on Leadership and Saving Lives During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

On this episode of The Modern Practice Podcast, host Gary Tiratsuyan welcomes Dr. Sarah Wooten to the show to discuss how veterinary clinics can scale growth, and treat more pet patients.With over 16 years of private clinic experience, Dr. Wooten shares her expertise on how clinic owners and staff, can navigate difficult financial conversations around treatment. Using Rectangle Health's Care Now, Pay Later (SM) financing solution, pet-owners can apply and receive up to $5,000 in financing for care. With nearly a 100% approval rating*, pet owners can elect to move forward with necessary treatment for their animals.To learn more about Rectangle Health's Care Now, Pay Later financing solution, visit the link below. https://bit.ly/3VCOoUx* The Care Now, Pay Later program provides nearly 100% approval. Applicants determined to be in Open Bankruptcy, Fraud Alert or on the Terrorist Watch List during the application process will be declined. Patients covered by government payor programs for a procedure are not eligible for financing of that procedure. Government payer programs include Medicare, Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), the Department of Defense TRICARE and TRICARE for Life programs (DOD TRICARE), the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) program, and the Indian Health Service (IHS) program.]

Related Reports:OIG Determination of Veterans Health Administration's Occupational Staffing Shortages Fiscal Year 2022 Pursuant to the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act of 2017 (VCQEA), the OIG conducted a review to identify clinical and non-clinical occupations experiencing staffing shortages within Veterans Health Administration (VHA). This is the ninth iteration of the staffing report, and the fifth evaluating facility-level data. The OIG evaluated staffing shortages by surveying VHA facilities, and compared this information to the previous four years.The OIG found that all 139 VHA facilities reported at least one severe occupational staffing shortage. The total number of reported severe shortages was 2,622. Twenty-two occupations were identified as a severe occupational staffing shortage by at least one in five facilities. Every year since 2014, the Medical Officer and Nurse occupations were reported as severe shortages. Practical Nurse was the most frequently identified clinical severe occupational staffing shortage in FY 2022, with 62 percent of facilities reporting this occupation. Custodial Worker was the most frequently reported non-clinical severe occupational shortage in FY 2022, with 69 percent of facilities reported the occupation. Medical Support Assistance was the most frequently reported Hybrid Title 38 severe occupational shortage.In FY 2022, VHA reported twenty-two percent more severe occupational staffing shortages as compared to FY 2021. FY 2022 is the first year since implementation of VCQEA reporting requirements in which the OIG did not observe a yearly decrease in the overall number of severe occupational staffing shortages; it was also the first time that facilities identified more than 90 occupations as severe shortages. The OIG again determined the ongoing need for Custodial Worker and Medical Support Assistance, noting an increase in the number of facilities identifying these occupations as severe shortages. The OIG emphasizes the importance of VHA's continued assessment of severe occupational staffing shortages given the increases from FY 2021 to FY 2022.The Veterans Health Administration Needs to Do More to Promote Emotional Well-Being Supports Amid the COVID-19 PandemicThe Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office of Emergency Management issued the initial COVID-19 Response Plan on March 23, 2020, and then an updated version on August 7, 2020. The National Center for Organization Development created a COVID-19 rapid response consultation process for VHA leaders in a supervisory role. The Organizational Health Council developed a team that coordinated with multiple VHA program offices to create a COVID-19 Employee Support Toolkit and other resources. Additionally, several program offices independently created and disseminated employee well-being resources specific to the COVID-19 pandemic, including National Center for Organization Development, Patient Centered Care & Cultural Transformation, Chaplain Service, and the Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) identified a generally diminishing awareness of employee emotional well-being supports in relation to organizational hierarchy, low utilization of support resources by leadership and frontline employees, as well as employee perception of inadequate support and responsiveness from leadership.The OIG conducted a review to assess how the VHA addressed the emotional well-being of employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. The OIG also conducted an overview of VHA programs, including what specialized programs were developed and deployed in response to the unique psychological challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic for VHA's staff. The OIG interviewed VA and VHA leaders in multiple offices. The OIG developed and deployed a survey about VHA guidance regarding employees' emotional well-being during the pandemic, available resources, monitoring of available support programs, and employee engagement with available support programs.The OIG made one recommendation to the Under Secretary for Health related to increasing leadership and staff awareness of COVID-19 emotional well-being resources for VHA employees and awareness of resources about potential risks and signs of burnout.

Related Reports: Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry Exam Process Needs ImprovementSince 1990, some 3.5 million veterans have served in areas that potentially exposed them to airborne hazards and open burn pit toxins, which have been associated with health problems. In 2013, Congress ordered VA to establish a registry to research the potential health impacts of exposures. The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) reviewed the management of registry exams, including whether VA medical facilities conducted them within the 90-day prescribed period. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) began collecting and recording data in the registry in May 2014 through an online questionnaire and free in-person exams. The OIG found many veterans did not complete the 140-item questionnaire, which is not clear and veteran-centric. Veterans also did not always realize they were responsible for scheduling their own exams. Improvements in the registry exam process would help ensure more eligible and interested veterans receive them. VHA plans to establish a call center to assume some of the scheduling and coordination responsibilities by October 2022. This is well-timed given the number of veterans indicating they would like an exam has further increased since August 2021, when VA established a presumptive “service connection” for respiratory conditions due to exposure to particulate matter, such as asthma, sinusitis, and rhinitis. Whether the call center will mitigate the issues identified by the OIG cannot yet be determined, and its rollout does not negate the need for corrective actions. The OIG made seven recommendations to the under secretary for health that include revising the questionnaire to be more veteran-centric, identifying whether veterans with unscheduled exams are still interested in one, and implementing processes and metrics to ensure exams are completed. Further, the OIG recommended developing guidance to ensure responsible parties review and discuss performance data and the enhancement of registry information systems. Veterans Prematurely Denied Compensation for Conditions That Could Be Associated with Burn Pit ExposureVA recognizes exposure to smoke from the large burn pits used by the US military to dispose of waste from its bases in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Djibouti as a potential cause of disabilities. Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) staff processed more than 21,100 burn pit-related claims from June 2007 through September 2021. Given the potential impact on many eligible veterans, the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted this review to determine whether VBA staff followed regulations and procedures when addressing conditions that could be associated with burn pit exposure. VBA treats burn pit-related claims like most other disability compensation claims, though it also considers exposure to environmental hazards based on a veteran's service location. VBA provides medical examiners a burn pit fact sheet to help ensure any opinion is fully informed based on all known objective facts. The review team examined three distinct samples of claimed conditions potentially related to burn pit exposure completed from May 1, 2020, to May 1, 2021, and found VBA could improve its processing and oversight. Though VBA staff nearly always made the correct decision in granting compensation for conditions identified as burn pit-related, the OIG found most denials were premature. The OIG made seven recommendations to VBA management, including correcting four errors involving improperly granted conditions, and reviewing denied cases, correcting errors they identify, and certifying that corrections were made. VBA should also update its adjudication procedures manual to provide separate and specific guidance for handling claims based on burn pit exposure and modify its examination request application to add specialty language from the burn pit fact sheet into medical opinion requests. Finally, VBA should update training materials and ensure they are consistent with the adjudication procedures manual guidance.

Dr. Stone is a Board-Certified Dermatologist with extensive experience in entrepreneurial businesses, commercial, federal, and uniformed services health care delivery. Dr. Stone retired after 24 years from the US Army at the rank of Major General and served as the Deputy Surgeon General for Support for the US Army Medical Command. He is a combat-experienced Veteran with service in Afghanistan where he commanded the combined joint medical task force from the 44th Medical Command. Following retirement from uniformed service, Dr. Stone has served within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and from 2018 until July 2021, he served as the Executive in Charge and Acting Undersecretary of Health for America's largest health care system. He currently is a Specialist Executive at Deloitte and his work focuses on health care delivery transformation and transformational strategies for population health improvement.   In this episode, you will describe the unique challenges and opportunities serving as a Commander of deployed medical units as well as leading a multi-national task force in Afghanistan.  He describes his experience as a clinician and strategic leader within the US Army Reserves and how he provided critical guidance within the Office of the Surgeon General and directed a Healthcare Operations Transition Team for the Defense Health Agency.  Dr. Stone provides a behind-the-scenes look at how he helped lead the VHA through the initial 18 months of the COVID pandemic which provided many challenges and lessons learned.     Dr. Stone shares many insights and lessons learned over a distinguished career and provides some valuable advice for all listeners. You don't want to miss this episode! To find out more about Dr. Stone at wardocspodcast.com/guest-bios and join our mission to preserve military medicine achievements WarDocs at wardocspodcast.com.                    The WarDocs Mission is to improve military and civilian healthcare and foster patriotism by honoring the legacy, preserving the oral history, and showcasing career opportunities, experiences, and achievements of military medicine.   Listen to the What We are For Episode 47. https://bit.ly/3r87Afm   WarDocs- The Military Medicine Podcast is a Non-Profit, Tax-exempt-501(c)(3) Veteran Run Organization run by volunteers. All donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of donations go to honoring and preserving the history, experiences, successes, and lessons learned in military medicine. A tax receipt will be sent to you.    WARDOCS documents the experiences, contributions, and innovations of all military medicine Services, ranks, and Corps who are affectionately called "Doc" as a sign of respect, trust, and confidence on and off the battlefield.             Follow Us on social media Twitter: @wardocspodcast Facebook: WarDocs Podcast Instagram: @wardocspodcast

Senior Auditors Geoff Ferguson and Gris Soto discuss two related reports on improper payments for community acupuncture and chiropractic services and overall risks to evaluation and management services. In the first report, the VA OIG audited acupuncture and chiropractic care by non‑VA providers after becoming aware of patterns that suggested questionable billing practices by those providers. In the second report, the VA OIG conducted a review to identify and evaluate the VHA's risk of improperly paying community care providers for evaluation and management services not supported by medical documentation. Both reports were published on December 8, 2021. Referenced reports: VHA Improperly Paid and Reauthorized Non-VA Acupuncture and Chiropractic ServicesThe Office of Community Care, part of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), manages programs that allow veterans to receive medical care from non VA providers. This audit evaluated whether VHA paid for non-VA acupuncture and chiropractic care that was not authorized or supported by medical documentation. The audit team also assessed whether VHA followed guidance for reauthorizing the care. The team found that VHA paid for care that was not authorized, including for more visits than allowed and for treatments not allowed by standards for care. For example, some acupuncturists billed for more than two rounds of needle insertions when only two rounds were allowed. VA's automated system for processing claims did not prohibit unauthorized visits or unallowable treatments in claims submitted by non-VA providers. Further, VHA paid acupuncture and chiropractic claims that lacked appropriate supporting medical documentation. The unsupported payments persisted because VHA staff did not retroactively review documentation samples for deficiencies. The audit team estimated that improper payments for acupuncture and chiropractic care amounted to about $136.7 million during fiscal years 2018 and 2019. The audit team also found that VHA did not always follow guidance when reauthorizing acupuncture and chiropractic care. Not documenting assessments of prior treatments before authorizing additional care may interfere with veterans' treatment. The OIG made six recommendations to the under secretary for health related to adding automated payment system controls, auditing the payment process, retrospectively auditing non-VA medical documentation, making continuing education material related to medical documentation available to non-VA providers, following the Office of Community Care's Field Guidebook, and documenting clinical justification for non-VA care. VHA Risks Overpaying Community Care Providers for Evaluation and Management ServicesThe OIG conducted this review to determine the risk of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) improperly paying community care providers for evaluation and management services not supported by medical documentation. The review team found that some providers are billing VA at a significantly higher rate for high-level evaluation and management services than their peers in the same specialty. The team determined that in fiscal year (FY) 2020, more than 37,900 non-VA providers billed and were paid for significantly more high-level evaluation and management codes than were all providers in that specialty on average. These non-VA providers received about $39.1 million (13 percent) of the approximately $303.6 million paid for all non-VA evaluation and management services. Additionally, some providers billed separately for evaluation and management services during periods when the global surgery package was in effect. This package is supposed to cover all surgery-related services for a set period. The review team identified more than 45,600 providers who were paid about $37.8 million in FY 2020 for these evaluation and management services. Improper payments were not easy to detect because VHA staff did not retrospectively audit medical documentation as required. Additionally, the OIG found no evidence that VHA or contractors trained non VA providers on documenting evaluation and management services, similar to how VA providers are trained. The OIG determined VHA risked overpaying for evaluation and management services by about $19.9 million in FY 2020. The OIG made two recommendations to the under secretary for health related to (1) reviewing medical documentation for evaluation and management services billed by non-VA providers and then developing processes to act on the results of those reviews; and (2) ensuring non-VA providers receive current and future continuing education materials on proper medical documentation for evaluation and management services.

Deficiencies in Inpatient Mental Health Care Coordination and Processes Prior to a Patient's Death by Suicide at the Harry S Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital in Columbia, Missouri The VA OIG conducted a healthcare inspection to determine the validity of an allegation regarding a patient's mental health care at the Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital (facility) in Columbia, Missouri, prior to death by suicide. The OIG reviewed the patient's mental health care coordination, discharge planning, suicide risk screening and evaluation, administrative actions, and Mental Health Treatment Coordinator (MHTC) assignment. The OIG substantiated that the patient died by suicide within three days of discharge from the facility's Inpatient Mental Health Unit. The OIG also substantiated that an inpatient psychiatry resident initiated antidepressant medication, and a registered nurse provided discharge instructions that included suicide prevention materials, consistent with Veterans Health Administration (VHA) guidance. Inpatient staff did not include Columbia Vet Center staff in discharge planning and failed to complete the VHA-required comprehensive suicide risk evaluation prior to the patient's discharge, which may have contributed to missed information to adequately establish acute and chronic suicide risk factors and a risk mitigation plan. Facility leaders did not establish an MHTC policy and staff did not assign the patient's MHTC while awaiting transfer to another level of care. Staff failed to comprehensively report a positive suicide risk screening result in an issue brief related to the patient's death, and facility leaders, in part based on the issue brief, did not make an institutional disclosure to the patient's next of kin. Veterans Integrated Service Network and National Center for Patient Safety leaders did not have knowledge of a memorandum of understanding that required Vet Center representation for shared patients during VHA root cause analyses. The OIG made one recommendation to the Under Secretary for Health and six recommendations to the Facility Director.

Our guest, Don Prisby, has been advocating for technologies that improve Veteran and Active-Duty well-being for the past 14 years.  He has worked in both private and federal health care systems to drive down the cost of care, while addressing issues such as the patient experience, outcomes-based care and staff and provider engagement.  In this episode, we discussed:- what it means to make patient-driven decisions when purchasing technology or implementing new procedures- how the VA is incentivized to create these patient-driven outcomes- great decisions the VA has made thanks to their decision making frameworks- ideas for the VA to navigate new decisions in the post-COVID eraDon't miss the chance to find out how the VA will continue to improve their ability to serve and care for our country's greatest heroes from one of their biggest advocates.------------------Don Prisby, Co-Founder of Cadence Advance, Inc, a firm that sources top-performing health care solutions for federal health systems including the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the Defense Health Agency (DHA).  

Many of the listed benefits also have other eligibility requirements. Mention of a particular benefit is to establish the basic threshold level of disability required for eligibility (or possible eligibility) to that benefit. Each higher level of disability also includes those benefits listed for previous levels. Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) www.vba.va.gov Veterans Health Administration (VHA) www.va.gov/health National Cemetery Administration (NCA) www.cem.va.gov We though to cover Federal Benefits and CalVet afterwards but finally decided to incorporate everything into one Episode:) --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/vet2vet/support

Dr. Kelley, a nationally recognized practitioner in the area of Oncology, heads up the VHA's Oncology services. During this program, you will learn about the cutting-edge programs currently being offered and you'll hear some much-needed information you can use should cancer ever show up in your screenings. Whether or not you are a veteran, many of the ideas Dr. Kelly shares will be valuable when talking with your doctor. Remember, knowing what questions to ask can make the difference in what you learn. The doctor shares those questions. 

On this month's episode, Dr. Shari Dade chats about workload with Bobbi Jo Nye, the Training and Exercise Branch Chief of the VHA Office of Emergency Management. Bobbi Jo manages multiple program and statutory initiatives ensuring that effective and efficient critical emergency management training and exercise support is provided to key stakeholders internal and external to the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). In this conversation, Bobbi Jo shares the missteps leader can make when facing the challenges that may be attached to successfully managing the load of work in their workgroup or service. This conversation explores the complicated task of trying to “get it all done”. Listen in to uncover the key lessons that were hiding behind this leader's missteps. Key Lessons: 1) Get to know what your employees are experiencing by having touchpoints that allow space and time to better understand all of what they may be juggling. 2) Work on appropriately delegating tasks based on what you know about the areas of strength for each of your direct reports. Building relationship helps with this task! 3) Communication really is the key! Communicate how you are advocating for your team, including transparency about what you can and cannot control when it comes to workload! Managing workload while enduring chaos can be draining. Take moment to refill your tank by listening to Bobbi Jo's recommendation of Enigma's Return to Innocence!Please check out additional services here: https://dvagov.sharepoint.com/sites/VHANationalCenterforOrganizationDevelopment

Dr. Matthew Miller is an Air Force veterans and the Director for Suicide Prevention for the U.S. Department of Veterans  Affairs, where he leads a team dedicated to the implementation and reinforcement of  evidence-based community and clinical interventions addressing suicide prevention,  intervention, and postvention for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).  Having previously served as the Director of the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL), under his  leadership VCL became the world’s largest and most efficient suicide crisis call center. He  began his VA career as the Chief of Mental Health at Aleda E. Lutz VA Medical Center in  Saginaw, MI, where he later became the Deputy Chief of Staff.  Dr. Miller received his PhD from Michigan State University and a Master of Public Health  (MPH) from the University of Michigan. He completed his professional residency in Clinical  Psychology at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Medical Center and served as the Chief of  Mental Health at a Joint Services Pilot Training Wing. Dr. Miller was responsible for  overseeing outpatient mental health operations for all active duty service members and  dependents within the installation community. In addition, he was head of the installation’s  suicide prevention, alcohol and drug demand reduction, critical incident response and family  advocacy programs.

Exposure to airborne hazards during military service is a serious concern for many Veterans and active-duty service members. VA established the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry (AHOBPR) in 2014 to document these types of exposures and help researchers better understand potential long-term health effects. The VA estimates that over three million Veterans and active-duty service members are eligible to join the registry. In this interview, Gary sits down with Dr. Patricia Hastings, who will share how participating in the registry can help Veterans proactively monitor their own health, get connected to the care and services they need – and help other Veterans along the way. Dr. Patricia Hastings is the Chief Consultant for VA Post Deployment Health Services within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Dr. Hastings previously served in the Army for 33 years, retiring at the rank of Colonel. She is a board-certified emergency medicine physician who has completed a Disaster Medicine Fellowship with an emphasis in public health. A graduate of the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Science in Des Moines, Iowa, she also worked as a paramedic and registered nurse prior to attending medical school.

In this episode, we are joined by Kameron Matthews, MD, JD who currently serves as Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Clinical Services at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). As a family physician and lawyer, she is uniquely trained to understand policies that affect our vulnerable populations, one of them being the veterans of this country. She speaks with us about her journey to medicine and law, as well as the various opportunities to be a change-maker in the VHA. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reede-scholars/support

Delivering More, Together is a new podcast, launched by the VHA Innovation Ecosystem. This podcast that focuses on highlighting the groundbreaking innovation underway at VHA, and how through innovation and collaboration, VHA is exceeding expectations, restoring hope, and building trust within the Veteran community. In this episode Blake Henderson sits down with Dr. Carolyn Clancy, Deputy Under Secretary for Discovery, Education, and Affiliate Networks. Dr. Clancy and Blake discuss how VHA Innovation Ecosystem's work impacts the broader universe of innovation at VA and the impact of telehealth. Dr. Clancy also highlights how, through her incredible experience and travels, she has been able to collaborate with US allies to approach challenges in new ways that ultimately enhance our ability to provide care. Be sure to check out the upcoming Innovation Experience (iEX) that was discussed on the pod as well. The iEX annual conference offers health care professionals from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), other government agencies, industry, and academia the opportunity to celebrate, collaborate, and promote a culture of innovation. This year, VHA iEX will showcase both employee-developed and industry-sourced innovations and practices that are sure to inform, and inspire lively discussion via the conference platform. To ensure the safety of all participants during the pandemic, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Innovation Experience (iEX) is going 100% virtual this year. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with presenters via live chat and in virtual exhibit booths.  This years speakers will include: ·         Richard Stone, MD, Executive In Charge for Veterans Health Administration (VHA), ·         Carolyn Clancy, MD, MACP, Deputy Under Secretary for Discovery, Education and Affiliate Networks, Veterans Health Administration (VHA)·         Dean Kamen of DEKA Research and Development, ·         Mark Johnson, Senior Partner, Innosight·         Toby Redshaw, SVP for Enterprise Innovation and 5G Solutions, Verizon

In this episode Allison Amrhein speaks with Dr. Beth Ripley, Director of the VHA 3D Printing Network and Suzanne Shirley, the Director of Fellowship and Community Engagement for the VHA Innovation Ecosystem. Together, they discuss how VHA Innovation Ecosystem leverages partnerships to serve clinicians and Veterans across the country. They also highlight how partnerships in 3D Printing and Respite Relief have provided unique resources and support to our country during the COVID-19 Pandemic.  Be sure to check out the upcoming Innovation Experience (iEX) that was discussed on the pod as well. The iEX annual conference offers health care professionals from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), other government agencies, industry, and academia the opportunity to celebrate, collaborate, and promote a culture of innovation. This year, VHA iEX will showcase both employee-developed and industry-sourced innovations and practices that are sure to inform, and inspire lively discussion via the conference platform. To ensure the safety of all participants during the pandemic, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Innovation Experience (iEX) is going 100% virtual this year. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with presenters via live chat and in virtual exhibit booths.  This years speakers will include: ·         Richard Stone, MD, Executive In Charge for Veterans Health Administration (VHA), ·         Carolyn Clancy, MD, MACP, Deputy Under Secretary for Discovery, Education and Affiliate Networks, Veterans Health Administration (VHA)·         Dean Kamen of DEKA Research and Development, ·         Mark Johnson, Senior Partner, Innosight·         Toby Redshaw, SVP for Enterprise Innovation and 5G Solutions, Verizon.Additional Links: VHA Innovation Ecosystem Website (https://www.va.gov/innovationecosystem/) Register for VHA Innovation Experience (https://www.va.gov/INNOVATIONECOSYSTEM/views/news-events/iEX.html

Delivering More, Together is a new podcast, launched by the VHA Innovation Ecosystem. This podcast that focuses on highlighting the groundbreaking innovation underway at VHA, and how through innovation and collaboration, VHA is exceeding expectations, restoring hope, and building trust within the Veteran community. In this episode Allison Amrhein speaks with Suzanne Shirley, Director of Fellowships and Community Engagement for VHA Innovation Ecosystem, and Danielle Krakora, a Senior Innovator Fellow and Product Manager with the Office of Information Technology. Together, they have helped mold many successful innovations events and engagements with partners from the private, academic and non-profit sectors. These events allow VHA Innovation Ecosystem to receive new input and fresh perspectives on how to solve Veterans healthcare challenges. Be sure to check out the upcoming Innovation Experience (iEX) that was discussed on the pod as well. The iEX annual conference offers health care professionals from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), other government agencies, industry, and academia the opportunity to celebrate, collaborate, and promote a culture of innovation. This year, VHA iEX will showcase both employee-developed and industry-sourced innovations and practices that are sure to inform, and inspire lively discussion via the conference platform. To ensure the safety of all participants during the pandemic, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Innovation Experience (iEX) is going 100% virtual this year. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with presenters via live chat and in virtual exhibit booths.  This years speakers will include: ·         Richard Stone, MD, Executive In Charge for Veterans Health Administration (VHA), ·         Carolyn Clancy, MD, MACP, Deputy Under Secretary for Discovery, Education and Affiliate Networks, Veterans Health Administration (VHA)·         Dean Kamen of DEKA Research and Development, ·         Mark Johnson, Senior Partner, Innosight·         Toby Redshaw, SVP for Enterprise Innovation and 5G Solutions, Verizon. Additional Links: VHA Innovation Ecosystem Website (https://www.va.gov/innovationecosystem/) Register for VHA Innovation Experience (https://www.va.gov/INNOVATIONECOSYSTEM/views/news-events/iEX.html

Delivering More, Together is a new podcast, launched by the VHA Innovation Ecosystem. This podcast that focuses on highlighting the groundbreaking innovation underway at VHA, and how through innovation and collaboration, VHA is exceeding expectations, restoring hope, and building trust within the Veteran community. In this episode Blake Henderson talks with Dr. Shannon Munro about innovative work through the Diffusion of Excellence.  Project HAPPEN (Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia Prevention by Engaging Nurses) began in October 2016 at the Salem VA Medical Center's community living center and it uses oral hygiene to fight pneumonia. This is done through training and educational programs and it ensures that patients will receive oral care such as teeth brushing, twice a day. As of July 2019, this initiative has expanded to eight VA hospitals, prevented 117 cases of pneumonia, and saved a predicted 42 lives as well as $9.4 million in costs. Be sure to check out the upcoming Innovation Experience (iEX) that was discussed on the pod as well. The iEX annual conference offers health care professionals from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), other government agencies, industry, and academia the opportunity to celebrate, collaborate, and promote a culture of innovation. This year, VHA iEX will showcase both employee-developed and industry-sourced innovations and practices that are sure to inform, and inspire lively discussion via the conference platform. To ensure the safety of all participants during the pandemic, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Innovation Experience (iEX) is going 100% virtual this year. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with presenters via live chat and in virtual exhibit booths.  This years speakers will include: ·         Richard Stone, MD, Executive In Charge for Veterans Health Administration (VHA), ·         Carolyn Clancy, MD, MACP, Deputy Under Secretary for Discovery, Education and Affiliate Networks, Veterans Health Administration (VHA)·         Dean Kamen of DEKA Research and Development, ·         Mark Johnson, Senior Partner, Innosight·         Toby Redshaw, SVP for Enterprise Innovation and 5G Solutions, Verizon. Additional Links: VHA Innovation Ecosystem Website (https://www.va.gov/innovationecosystem/) Register for VHA Innovation Experience (https://www.va.gov/INNOVATIONECOSYSTEM/views/news-events/iEX.html

Delivering More, Together is a new podcast, launched by the VHA Innovation Ecosystem. This podcast that focuses on highlighting the groundbreaking innovation underway at VHA, and how through innovation and collaboration, VHA is exceeding expectations, restoring hope, and building trust within the Veteran community. In this episode, Blake Henderson speaks with Amanda Purnell, VHA Entrepreneur in Residence, and Luis Ruben Soenksen, MIT's first Venture Builder in Artificial Intelligence and Healthcare. Together, they discuss how artificial intelligence can be used to not only enhance diagnoses but also preserve and reinforce the human connection between patients and clinicians. They also discuss the critical role that cross-functional partnerships, like the one between MIT and VHA IE, play in helping drive innovation.  Be sure to check out the upcoming Innovation Experience (iEX) that was discussed on the pod as well. The iEX annual conference offers health care professionals from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), other government agencies, industry, and academia the opportunity to celebrate, collaborate, and promote a culture of innovation. This year, VHA iEX will showcase both employee-developed and industry-sourced innovations and practices that are sure to inform, and inspire lively discussion via the conference platform. To ensure the safety of all participants during the pandemic, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Innovation Experience (iEX) is going 100% virtual this year. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with presenters via live chat and in virtual exhibit booths.  This years speakers will include: ·         Richard Stone, MD, Executive In Charge for Veterans Health Administration (VHA), ·         Carolyn Clancy, MD, MACP, Deputy Under Secretary for Discovery, Education and Affiliate Networks, Veterans Health Administration (VHA)·         Dean Kamen of DEKA Research and Development, ·         Mark Johnson, Senior Partner, Innosight·         Toby Redshaw, SVP for Enterprise Innovation and 5G Solutions, Verizon.  Additional Links: VHA Innovation Ecosystem Website (https://www.va.gov/innovationecosystem/) Register for VHA Innovation Experience (https://www.va.gov/INNOVATIONECOSYSTEM/views/news-events/iEX.html

Delivering More, Together is a new podcast, launched by the VHA Innovation Ecosystem. This podcast that focuses on highlighting the groundbreaking innovation underway at VHA, and how through innovation and collaboration, VHA is exceeding expectations, restoring hope, and building trust within the Veteran community. In this episode Allison Amrhein and Brynn Cole speak with Terri Ohlinger, a Surgical Intensive Care Unit Nurse from at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center  and Charles Franklin, Community Employment Coordinator, at the Boston VA Medical Center. Together they discuss how the Innovators Network helps empower a community of VHA employees to innovate. Innovators Network takes a ground up approach by using the first-hand knowledge of frontline employees to identify some of VA's greatest challenges and to develop both Veteran- and employee-centric solutions. Be sure to check out the upcoming Innovation Experience (iEX) that was discussed on the pod as well. The iEX annual conference offers health care professionals from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), other government agencies, industry, and academia the opportunity to celebrate, collaborate, and promote a culture of innovation. This year, VHA iEX will showcase both employee-developed and industry-sourced innovations and practices that are sure to inform, and inspire lively discussion via the conference platform. To ensure the safety of all participants during the pandemic, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Innovation Experience (iEX) is going 100% virtual this year. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with presenters via live chat and in virtual exhibit booths.  This years speakers will include: ·         Richard Stone, MD, Executive In Charge for Veterans Health Administration (VHA), ·         Carolyn Clancy, MD, MACP, Deputy Under Secretary for Discovery, Education and Affiliate Networks, Veterans Health Administration (VHA)·         Dean Kamen of DEKA Research and Development, ·         Mark Johnson, Senior Partner, Innosight·         Toby Redshaw, SVP for Enterprise Innovation and 5G Solutions, Verizon. Additional Links: VHA Innovation Ecosystem Website (https://www.va.gov/innovationecosystem/) Register for VHA Innovation Experience (https://www.va.gov/INNOVATIONECOSYSTEM/views/news-events/iEX.html

Delivering More, Together is a new podcast, launched by the VHA Innovation Ecosystem. This podcast that focuses on highlighting the groundbreaking innovation underway at VHA, and how through innovation and collaboration, VHA is exceeding expectations, restoring hope, and building trust within the Veteran community. In this episode Dr. Ryan Vega and Kristopher Teague, the Executive Director and Deputy Director of the VHA Innovation Ecosystem, respectfully, talk with Blake Henderson about how VHA Innovation Ecosystem (VHA IE) works, its role in building a culture of innovation at VHA, and we learn that neither understands the concept of a “lightning round” questions. Dr. Vega and Mr. Teague also discuss some of the essential traits that successful innovation requires, particularly in the federal government. They also discuss how VHA IE leverages the collective power of innovation champions from across VA, academia, and industry to operationalize innovation in the nation's largest integrated healthcare system. This key because innovation cannot be realized in isolation and requires novel, cross-industry partnerships that surface ideas and help catalyze a shift in the status-quo Be sure to check out the upcoming Innovation Experience (iEX) that was discussed on the pod as well. The iEX annual conference offers health care professionals from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), other government agencies, industry, and academia the opportunity to celebrate, collaborate, and promote a culture of innovation. This year, VHA iEX will showcase both employee-developed and industry-sourced innovations and practices that are sure to inform, and inspire lively discussion via the conference platform. To ensure the safety of all participants during the pandemic, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Innovation Experience (iEX) is going 100% virtual this year. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with presenters via live chat and in virtual exhibit booths.  This years speakers will include: ·         Richard Stone, MD, Executive In Charge for Veterans Health Administration (VHA), ·         Carolyn Clancy, MD, MACP, Deputy Under Secretary for Discovery, Education and Affiliate Networks, Veterans Health Administration (VHA)·         Dean Kamen of DEKA Research and Development, ·         Mark Johnson, Senior Partner, Innosight·         Toby Redshaw, SVP for Enterprise Innovation and 5G Solutions, Verizon.Author Bio: Matthew Razak supports VA as a contractor with Atlas Research, a Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm providing strategic advisory and applied research services to federal health and social service agencies. Matt has been working with VA for the past six years supporting social media and communication efforts.

Welcome to Season 1 of the Nurses that Wow! Podcast On this episode, we speak to Dr. Adrianna Nava, PhD, MSN, RN, who is currently a U.S. Latino Leadership Fellow at the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School, where she is also a Mid-Career MPA Candidate. In December 2019, she obtained her PhD in Nursing and Health Policy from The University of Massachusetts Boston. She has a MSN in Health Leadership from The University of Pennsylvania and a BSN from Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing. Adrianna shares her passion about building the leadership capacity of Latino nurses and has served the Latino community in leadership roles within the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN). From 2011-2013 she was the NAHN Chapter President of Illinois; then the Vice-President of the NAHN Boston Chapter from 2015-2016; and a NAHN National Board of Director from 2014-2016. Most of her clinical and administrative nursing experience has been practicing within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), serving our nation’s Veterans. Contact Nurses that Wow! at nursesthatwow@gmail.com and follow us on IG (@NursesthatWow). 

Join Nurse Rona and her guests to discuss healthcare for the 9 million Americans who use the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), a publicly funded national healthcare system that delivers care in over 1,700 sites. The VHA is the nation's only integrated healthcare system that has full public funding.  The post 11/11/19 Health and Healing for Veterans appeared first on KPFA.

There are many different types of hospitals in the United States, most of which fall under the broad categories of for-profit, not-for-profit, and government-owned (Department of Veterans Affairs "VA"). Although only a select demographic can utilize government-owned hospitals, our VA hospitals are a major component of the US healthcare system. From the US Department of Veteran Affairs website, “The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,243 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,062 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program.” We brought in Dr. Haralampopoulos, an internist at the Edward Hines Jr. VA hospital in Illinois for over a decade, to shed light on the VA system. She shares how medicine is practiced at the VA, discusses working with the VA’s patient population, and reasons why one should pursue a career at the VA. www.medicuspodcast.com | medicuspodcast@gmail.com | Donate: http://bit.ly/MedicusDonate

  Suzanne Gordon is an award-winning journalist and author. She has written for The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, The Nation, The Washington Monthly, The American Prospect, The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, JAMA, The Annals of Internal Medicine, The BMJ, and others. She is the co-editor of the Culture and Politics of Health Care Work series at Cornell University Press. Wounds of War: How the VA Delivers Health, Healing, and Hope to the Nation’s Veterans. U.S. military conflicts abroad have left nine million Americans dependent on the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) for medical care. Their “wounds of war” are treated by the largest hospital system in the country—one that has come under fire from critics in the White House, on Capitol Hill, and in the nation’s media. The resulting public debate about the future of veterans’ health care has pitted VHA patients and their care-givers against politicians and policy-makers who believe that former military personnel would be better served by private health care providers.Suzanne_Gordon_Wounds_of_War.mp3

Brian Hawkins was told he wasn't smart enough to work as a hospital payroll technician. Urged by a mindset instilled by his family “You can do, you must do and you will do" and driven to change the medical system that treated his grandfather poorly Brian persisted to eventually to become the Director of the DC Veteran Affairs Medical Center. You’ll hear just how much Brian’s parents (and children) have taught him about leadership all throughout this interview. Brian believes that only by engaging employees is it possible to provide the excellent care the patients and their families deserve. The Hawk Eye program he initiated at DCVAMC empowers employees at all levels to actively observe customer service and immediately advocate for the patient if the service is sub-par. Employees also report their observations to Brian and his team and thanks to this program, numerous changes have been made at DCVAMC to better service the patients. One change resulting from this effort was a complete $900k redesign of the hospital atrium to make female veterans and employees more comfortable. Brian’s interview is filled with stories, examples and tips for creating engagement, diversity and excellence in any organization! What You'll Learn Tips and strategies to create a culture of excellence and diversity in any organization How employee engagement (or lack thereof) drastically impacts customer service Why it’s important to cultivate a strong organizational culture that that transcends whoever occupies the leader chair How Abraham Lincoln’s philosophy described in Team of Rivals has shaped Brian’s leadership approach Ways in which Brian’s perspective as a leader was shaped by his parents and being a parent Why it’s better to not reference the holidays as a new podcaster if you’re planning to launch the said podcast in the New year – yes, this interview was recorded Christmas week as will become quite evident when you listen ;) This and so much more you’ll enjoy hearing about in this episode of Leadership Insights! Links & Resources DC VA Medical Center – Brian’s organization Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin – book Brian referenced in the interview Giovanni’s – fabulous Italian restaurant in DC for our local listeners’ enjoyment About Brian Hawkins Brian A. Hawkins was appointed Medical Center Director, Washington DC VA Medical Center September 25, 2011. With more than 2,200 employees, over 90,000 Veterans enrolled for care and a budget of more than $450 million dollars, Mr. Hawkins leads one of the largest and highly visible medical centers in the nation. In addition to the main hospital, Mr. Hawkins is responsible for the Community Resource and Referral Center for Homeless and At-risk Veterans (CRRC) and five community based outpatient clinics in Washington, DC; Fort Belvoir, Virginia; and Greenbelt, Camp Springs and Charlotte Hall, Maryland. Brian began his career at Chicago's Hines VA Medical Center as a Clerk/Typist. His career demonstrates continuous advancement through leadership positions which include; Medical Center Director at the Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Associate Director and Chief Operating Officer of the VA Maryland Healthcare System and Associate Director and Site Manager for the Perry Point VA Medical Center. He has also held positions of authority at the VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Atlanta VA Medical Center and Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. Brian holds a Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Sciences from Southern Illinois University and a Master of Health Administration from Governors State University. His unique leadership style was recognized by Veterans Health Administration (VHA) naming him 2012 "Communications Visionary of the Year". He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Senior Executives Association, and the American Pilot and Aircraft Owners Association and has been an Adjunct Professor at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, OK. A Veteran himself, Mr. Hawkins served eight years in the Illinois Army National Guard.

Mark Guagliardo from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) explains how the VHA integrated GIS into its operations to improve access to health care services.