VA Stories of Note: August 6 – August 12
The New York Times, Aug. 12: The Department of Veterans Affairs will mandate vaccines for most workers in its medical centers
The Department of Veterans Affairs will require nearly every worker, volunteer, and contractor within its vast health care system to be vaccinated against the coronavirus over the next eight weeks, in stark contrast to the Pentagon which has resisted immediate mandates for the country’s 1.3 million active-duty troops.
WDVM (TV-25) (Hagerstown, Md.), Aug. 12: Team Martinsburg competes in National Veterans Wheelchair Games
The Martinsburg VA Medical Center is participating in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games this year after the games were canceled last year due to the pandemic. Athletes say they are excited to be playing in this year’s games. “Mostly it’s just that personal challenge of you know being the best bringing on the gold as they say,” said Edward Lee Younger, who is competing in bowling.
MobiHealthNews (Video), Aug. 10: How the VA’s virtual care infrastructure enabled innovation during the pandemic
As one of the nation’s largest health systems, serving more than nine million veterans and supporting over 400,000 healthcare providers across the country, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs knew the importance of virtual care long before the pandemic forced its acceleration.
WTLV (NBC-12, Video) (Jacksonville, Fla.), Aug. 10: Veteran program helps minimize most common side effects of breast cancer
If you're a veteran with breast cancer, you have options. One of those options includes 'The Breast Cancer Survivorship Program' at the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System. The program helps First Coast veterans undergoing breast cancer treatment while helping to minimize some of the most common side effects of cancer.
KVIA (ABC-7, Video) (El Paso, Texas), Aug. 8: El Paso VA helps vet realize dream of becoming U.S. citizen
An Air Force veteran who suffers from mental illness was able to realize a life-long dream of becoming a U.S. citizen thanks to the help from her treatment team at El Paso's Veterans Affairs. Janet Arellano, 37, was honorably discharged from the Air Force because of academics 18 years ago. In 2003 she was diagnosed with bipolar depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Federal News Network (Audio), Aug. 6: Even after troops leave Afghanistan, Iraq, resulting brain injury research continuing for VHA
As the United States draws troops from Afghanistan and Iraq, a source of injury and death will cease. But research by the Veterans Health Administration will continue. Two years ago, we checked in with one of VA’s top researchers into brain injury and neuropathology. The chief of neuropathology at the VA Boston Healthcare System, Dr. Ann McKee returned to Federal Drive with Tom Temin for an update.
MeriTalk (Alexandria, Va.), Aug. 12: How COVID-19 Accelerated VA’s Digital Transformation The COVID-19 pandemic allowed the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to accelerate its digital transformation efforts in a way that wasn’t possible before the public health crisis, a VA official said this week, while explaining how the agency quickly adapted to become more agile and take advantage of previous investments in digital transformation solutions.