Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Canceled Appointments And Lengthy Wait Times Still Occurring At VA Medical Centers
The Wall Street Journal: Two Critical Reports Indicate Problems Persist At VA
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ internal watchdog criticized the agency in new reports this week for problems it has struggled for years to address, including providing timely treatment for vulnerable veterans. One report from the VA’s Office of Inspector General detailed how a patient suffering from mental-health issues took his own life while waiting for treatment and after canceled appointments. (Kesling, 11/17)
The Denver Post: Federal Watchdog Finds Colorado VA Facilities Used “Unofficial Wait Lists” For Mental Health Care
A new federal investigation revealed Thursday that VA officials in Colorado broke agency rules by using an off-the-books system to track patients who wanted mental-health therapy — a violation that caused veterans to wait for care and one that recalls past abuses by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Investigators with the VA’s internal watchdog found that in three separate facilities — Denver, Golden and Colorado Springs — agency officials did not follow proper protocol when keeping tabs on patients who sought referrals for treatment of conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder. (Matthews and Migoya, 11/16)
The Washington Post: A Dying Vet Needed CPR. Hidden Video Shows His Nurse Laughing Instead.
By the late winter of 2014, James Dempsey had served in a world war, raised children, buried a wife and seen the best of his health behind him. As he prepared for a stay at a nursing home on the outskirts of Atlanta, the 89-year-old began to feel nervous. So his family hid a camera in his room at Northeast Atlanta Health and Rehabilitation, Dempsey’s son later told WSB-TV. His father knew about it, he said, but the nurses didn’t. (Selk, 11/18)
Cleveland Plain Dealer: Advocacy Group Runs Television Ads Targeting VA For Testing On Dogs
Advocacy group the White Coat Waste Project is now running national television advertisements targeting the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for use of dogs in experiments. The organization posted billboards in Cleveland earlier this year with captions reading "Prisoners of Waste, Stokes VA Medical Center, Stop Taxpayer-Funded Animal Experiments!" (Bamforth, 11/17)
And in news on PTSD in veterans, and cancer patients —
WBUR: The Many Forms, Faces And Causes Of PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder is often associated with combat, but trauma comes in many forms. About 7 or 8 percent of people experience PTSD at some point in their lives, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. (Doubek, McDaniel and McNulty, 11/19)
Stat: 1 In 5 Shows PTSD Symptoms After Cancer Diagnosis, Study Finds
Roughly 1 in 5 cancer patients developed post-traumatic stress disorder within six months of their diagnosis — and a small percentage still experienced trauma-related symptoms six years later, according to new research. Cancer patients and psychologists have long known a cancer diagnosis can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder, even when patients manage to drive their disease into remission. (Tedeschi, 11/20)
