The American Legion, March 10: Secretary: VA taking steps on coronavirus protection
Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie told hundreds of veterans Tuesday in Washington, D.C., that steps are now being taken to protect residents at VA’s 134 assisted living centers from exposure to the coronavirus. “We will be going into an emergency situation where we will limit visitors coming to the nursing facilities so we can protect those who are in those facilities, most of whom are over the age of 80,” Wilkie told…
Connecting Vets, March 11: VA is a last line of defense in the US against national medical emergencies like pandemics
The Department of Veterans Affairs cares for 9 million veterans across 141 medical centers and more than 1,000 clinics nationwide. But it's also expected to serve as a last line of defense in national medical emergencies. Many may not know that VA -- the largest single healthcare provider in the United States -- is expected to play a major role in national emergency medical response, including for pandemics.
Watuga Democrat (Boone, N.C.), March 11: Video medical appointments for veterans piloted in Boone
Hoping to cut down on time a veteran may have to travel to a medical center for care, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has piloted several sites across the nation for video visits with providers — including in Boone.
inMotion Magazine (Knoxville, Tenn.), March 11: Richmond VA assists Vet in prep for Marine Corps marathon with new prosthesis
After many years of struggling with foot fractures and infections, a Marine Corps veteran knew it was time to seek care at the Veterans Administration (VA). “I went 12 and a half years with a bad foot,” said Edward Purcell. “After multiple infections and eight surgeries to repair brittle bone fractures, my cardiologist advised me to do something about it to prevent any ongoing cardiac issues.”
BeyondChron (San Francisco, Calif.), March 10: VA Pioneering Efforts To Reduce Veteran Suicide From Firearms
When it comes to the healthcare problems of military veterans, one issue has dominated both media and Congressional attention: veteran suicide. Death by suicide is not, of course, unique to those who have served in the military. It is the tenth leading cause of death for all Americans and the second leading cause of death for those under 35.
WHO (NBC-13) (Des Moines, Iowa), March 10: VA Hospital Says Women’s Health Care is Evolving
Even though the majority of those serving in the armed forces are men, the VA hospital of Central Iowa says more and more women are serving each year. That is why they are making sure women’s health care needs are met. More than 2,000 women veterans are registered at the VA hospital of Central Iowa, and the hospital says that number is growing.
The Washington Post, March 10: VA plans to suspend University of Phoenix and other colleges from accessing GI Bill benefits
Five schools, including the for-profit behemoth University of Phoenix and Temple University, may be prevented from enrolling new students using GI Bill benefits because they engaged in deceptive recruiting and advertising practices, the Department of Veterans Affairs said Monday.
FedScoop, March 9: Silicon Valley VA hospital gets taste of ‘mixed reality’ through Project Convergence
The Department of Veterans Affairs is building out an emerging technology program at a medical facility in Palo Alto, California, that has already put the VA on the map with its first “5G hospital.” Project Convergence is a public-private partnership that includes 5G wireless connectivity from Verizon, augmented reality visualization software from Medivis and Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 headset.
The Monitor (McAllen, Texas), March 8: Agents of independence: VA helps blind veterans ‘see’
Benito Lopez can no longer see where he’s going, but he knows exactly where he’s going. Someone in Florida, or California, or Colorado or North Carolina is looking out for him, thanks to a camera attached to his glasses.
WTMJ (NBC-4, VIdeo) (Milwaukee, Wis.), March 7: Meet the synchronized swimming team at the Milwaukee VA
At the bottom of a Milwaukee VA, Groucho Marx glasses-wearing veterans are moving entirely in sync in a pool. "One, two, three, four," they all chant in unison. Meet the Milwaukee veteran synchronized swimmers. "I thought you got to be kidding me. That's the last thing in the world I expected," Bill Fenton, a veteran and member of the synchronized swim team said.