Please see below update to the message of December 20, 2017:
Dear Fellow Veterans and Colleagues,
As a reminder, if you are a Veteran with a CS background or a student Veteran studying CS and interested in learning more about Cybersecurity, then this a great opportunity to learn more about this important and emerging field. Through the course, students will gain hands-on, real-world cybersecurity skills. The program is hosted onsite at Facebook HQ in Menlo Park, CA and starts on February 3rd, 2018. It is hosted every Saturday for 12 weeks. If you are interested in learning more, check out the course information here.
Facebook Cybersecurity University Information
There is no cost to enroll in the program and spots are limited, so apply soon! The application window closes January 18, 2018.
(The Department of Veterans Affairs does not endorse Facebook or its products, processes and services. Information contained within this email is purely for informational purposes.)
As always, thank you for your service.
Regards,
Office of Economic Opportunity
Veterans Benefits Administration
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Washington, D.C. 20420, United States
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"2017 Year in Review: Places where Military Health System leaders, experts gathered" Military Health System in Washington, D.C., United States
"2017 Year in Review: Places where Military Health System leaders, experts gathered" Military Health System in Washington, D.C., United States
2017 Year in Review: Places where Military Health System leaders, experts gatheredNavy Vice Adm. Raquel Bono, director, Defense Health Agency, speaks at the Defense Health Information Technology Symposium, July 25, in Orlando, Florida. Conferences like this one help MHS and other health care personnel to exchange ideas and information to help improve care to beneficiaries. (Courtesy photo) by: Military Health System Communications OfficeFALLS CHURCH, Va. — Leaders, industry experts, and clinicians from across the Military Health System gathered to share accomplishments, news, and research happening at home and abroad. Here’s a look at the highlights:
HIMSS. Approximately 40,000 health care IT professionals, clinicians, executives, and vendors from around the world attended the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) 2017 conference in February in Orlando, Florida, to discuss health care and technology, with topics ranging from cybersecurity to innovation, to interoperability.
The conference provided an opportunity for healthcare professionals to discuss the rollout of MHS GENESIS, which began this year. Navy Vice Adm. Raquel Bono, director of the Defense Health Agency, outlined several initiatives the MHS is taking to improve delivery of care to its 9.4 million beneficiaries.
FAAST. In July, the Federal Advanced Amputation Skills Training brought together health and wellness experts from the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to share best practices in caring for those who have lost limbs because of combat, injury, or disease.
Experts shared findings related to identifying and lessening secondary health complications; laser hair removal and other procedures to make wearing prosthetic sockets more comfortable; acupuncture and other pain-management techniques that don’t involve medications; therapeutic recreation programs such as yoga, swimming, and horseback riding; rehabilitation programs to optimize agility; and sex and intimacy after limb loss.
DHITS. “One Team, One Mission - Creating Our Future Together” was the theme of the Defense Health Information Technology Symposium in Orlando, Florida. The three-day event brought together more than 2,000 information technology professionals, health care providers, and administrators who make use of IT solutions to better serve patients. “Health IT is one of the foundational enterprise support activities,” said Bono, who spoke on July 25. “There is not another support function that touches everything we do.”
MHSRS. The annual Military Health System Research Symposium which took place in August in Kissimmee, Florida, attracted military medical providers, academic researchers, clinical administrators, and more, to discuss the treatment of warfighters, retirees, and their families.
“This is the only large, broad-based research conference focusing on the unique medical needs of the military,” said Dr. Kelley Brix, a physician and division chief with the Defense Health Agency’s Research and Development directorate. “It crosses many different research areas and medical conditions.”
The information shared at the symposium serves more than just the military community. “Many of the breakthroughs made in the military in improving the care of traumatic injuries have been widely adopted in civilian health care,” said Brix. Experts discussed surgical care on the battlefield, life after amputation, regrowing limbs in the future, magnets to relieve depression symptoms, and studying PTSD through biomarkers.
AMSUS. The 126th Annual Continuing Education Meeting of the Society of Federal Health Professionals, also known as AMSUS, took place at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland, at the end of November. Leaders from the Defense Health Agency and the services came together to discuss health readiness. Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Thomas McCaffery and Bono spoke during the plenary session.
“Their views on today’s issues will offer a unique opportunity for everyone to hear about the current state and future plans for the Defense Health Agency,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Michael Cowan, executive director of AMSUS. Topics at the conference ranged from global health engagement to the modernization of military health care, including the many advantages designed into MHS GENESIS to ensure that it provides seamless health care for beneficiaries in the system.
(Left to right) Army Lt. Col. Christopher Sloan, Army Maj. Michael Livingston, and Army 2nd Lt. Robert McCoy helped rescue passengers at a train accident near DuPont, Washington, on Dec. 18. Sloan and Livingston work at Madigan Army Medical Center, while McCoy is assigned to the 62nd Medical Brigade at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. (U.S. Army photo by John Wayne Liston) by: Suzanne OvelDUPONT, Wash. — Just seconds after seeing the train fall into traffic on Interstate 5, Army 2nd Lt. Robert McCoy rushed out of his car to run toward the train car now dangling from the overpass.
He was driving home from physical training when the Amtrak train derailed just south of DuPont, Washington, on Dec. 18. A platoon leader in the 62nd Medical Brigade at nearby Joint Base Lewis-McChord, McCoy was soon joined by other Good Samaritans on the scene including Army Maj. Michael Livingston, a registered nurse at Madigan Army Medical Center, and Army Lt. Col. Christopher Sloan, Madigan's deputy commander for administration.
"We all had the idea that that car was going to fall, and there were people in it," said Livingston.
His first priority was to help move the passengers who were underneath the dangling car, having been ejected during the accident. He then joined McCoy, who had found a way to scale a semi, get on top of another downed rail car and then climb into the car still hanging from the overpass. Sloan joined them in the car to help rescue the passengers still inside.
"The seats were everywhere. There was luggage everywhere. It was chaos and people needed guidance, and they needed help," said Sloan.
The Soldiers helped the passengers navigate through the tilted car, strewn luggage and shifted overhead racks to safely exit the car.
"We were there to provide care and compassion, and we were there to take care of people and address what they needed," said Sloan.
He recalled one passenger with a broken bone who was trapped underneath a seat. The Soldiers lifted the seat up, pulled her out inch by inch, and got her to sit up.
"Then she took a breath, and said 'I'm going to be OK,'" said Sloan.
None of the Soldiers on scene questioned their impulse to run toward the accident and help the injured passengers.
"These could've been our neighbors or people that I knew," said Livingston. "I just knew that people were going to need lots of help and I had to get up there."
They saw other impromptu rescuers, including Madigan nurse Tanya Porter, help as well.
"I look back and I'm thankful that I was able to be placed in that situation; I'm thankful for all of the individuals, the first responders, the civilians, (and) the other military individuals who were able to come together and support the community," said McCoy.
Once ambulances were able to get to the scene, emergency medical services took over and transported the passengers to hospitals throughout the area, including Madigan. Altogether, Madigan treated 19 patients from the accident for conditions including spinal fractures, head lacerations and abdominal injuries.
The hospital began prepping for massive casualties as soon as they heard about the accident -- stopping elective surgeries, sending current emergency room patients to inpatient floors, and readying themselves to begin treating the passengers.
"Most of us have been deployed, and we have experienced mass casualty scenarios. This is something that we rehearsed for, and this is something that many of us have experienced in combat, and so I think it helped us and we were very ready for this scenario," said Army Lt. Col. Vance Sohn, Madigan's program director of general surgery.
While the 19 patients were treated in the emergency room, clinics, surgery or intensive care, Madigan staff members were prepared to care for many more passengers, given the extent of the accident. Located just six miles from the accident scene, the hospital was prepared to care for at least 70 patients, said Army Lt. Col. Carl Skinner, Madigan's chief of the Department of Emergency Medicine.
The staff counted it as very fortunate that the actual number of injured passengers was much lower than that, said Emily Phillips, a registered nurse team lead in Madigan's Primary Care Service Line.
"It was nothing short of a miracle," she said.
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Antibiotics not the answer for common coldAntibiotics should only be used to treat bacterial infections, not viral infections as they will not work against upper respiratory illnesses caused by viruses. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kenna Jackson) by: U.S. ArmyFORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska — Coughing, runny noses and sore throats are common this time of year and many people want to begin antibiotics as soon as symptoms of a cold appear. Unfortunately, antibiotics do not help kill viruses that cause the flu, colds, many sore throats or bronchitis and in fact can do more harm than good when taken unnecessarily.
The majority of infections are caused by either bacteria or viruses; bacteria are organisms that can be found almost everywhere throughout the human body while viruses are organisms that cause disease by invading healthy cells in the body.
Antibiotics should only be used to treat bacterial infections, not viral infections, as they will not work against upper respiratory illnesses caused by viruses. Taking antibiotics for illnesses such as colds, flu, runny noses or most coughs will not make you feel better, cure the infection, nor keep others from catching the infection.
In fact, taking antibiotics for viral infections will increase the risk of antibiotic resistance later.
When someone takes antibiotics, weaker bacteria are killed, but stronger germs bay be left to grow and multiply. The repeated, improper use of antibiotics are a major cause of an increase in drug-resistant bacteria.
The problem with this resistance is that when antibiotics don't work, the consequences can include longer-lasting illnesses, more doctor visits, extended hospital stays and the need for more expensive medications.
Some resistant infections can even cause death.
In order to prevent antibiotic resistance there are some best practices to keep in mind:
- Do not take an antibiotic for a viral infection like a cold or the flu.
- Take necessary antibiotics exactly as the doctor directs and do not skip any doses.
- Don't take someone else's prescription.
- Talk to your healthcare provider about antibiotic resistance. Ask whether an antibiotic will be effective in treating your illness.
- Do not demand antibiotics for your children if their healthcare provider has determined they are not needed.
For more information on antibiotics and how they work, visit the CDC website.
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"Audit of VHA’s Timeliness and Accuracy of Choice Payments Processed Through the Fee Basis Claims System" Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (OIG) in Washington, D.C., United States
Audit of VHA’s Timeliness and Accuracy of Choice Payments Processed Through the Fee Basis Claims System
Congress required that the OIG report on the accuracy and timeliness of VA payments for medical care provided under Choice. This report addresses payments processed through VA’s Fee Basis Claims System from November 2014 through September 2016. The Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA’s) Office of Community Care (OCC) contracted with Third Party Administrators (TPAs) to process claims and pay Choice medical providers. During the 23-month audit period, OIG sampled from a population of 2 million Choice claims. Of those claims, an estimated 224,000 were paid in error, and 1 million were processed in excess of the 30-day Prompt Payment Standard. The OIG determined weak internal controls over the payment process contributed to these errors. Also, the OCC did not establish clear written policies for Choice claim payments, ensure quality information was available to payment staff, use an information system that could adequately address overpayment of medical claims, establish monitoring activities to determine if payment controls worked, or accurately estimate staffing needs for claims processing. The OIG estimated OCC made $39 million in overpayments to TPAs. The OIG recommended that VHA management ensure systems used for processing medical claims from TPAs have the ability to adjudicate reimbursement rates accurately and issue written payment policies to claims-processing staff. The OIG also recommended that OCC establish expectations and obligations for TPAs that submit invoices for payment, develop sufficient claims-processing capacity to meet expected TPA claim volume, and ensure future TPA contracts contain timeliness standards for processing payments. The Executive in Charge, VHA, concurred and agreed that a full review of Choice payments and recovery of all identified overpayments is essential.
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"Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection Program Review of the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan" Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (OIG) in Washington, D.C., United States
Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection Program Review of the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan
The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a focused evaluation of the quality of care delivered in the inpatient and outpatient settings of the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center (facility). The review covered key clinical and administrative processes associated with promoting quality care—Leadership and Organizational Risks; Quality, Safety, and Value; Medication Management: Anticoagulation Therapy; Coordination of Care: Inter-Facility Transfers; Environment of Care; High-Risk Processes: Moderate Sedation, and Long-Term Care: Community Nursing Home Oversight. OIG also provided crime awareness briefings to 53 employees. The facility has generally stable executive leadership and active engagement with employees and patients to improve satisfaction scores. Organizational leaders support patient safety, quality care, and other positive outcomes (such as initiating processes and plans to improve perceptions of the facility through active stakeholder engagement). OIG’s review of accreditation organization findings, sentinel events, disclosures, Patient Safety Indicator data, and Strategic Analytics for Improvement and Learning (SAIL) results identified multiple organizational risk factors. The senior leadership team was knowledgeable about selected SAIL metrics and should continue to take considerable actions to improve care and performance, particularly Quality of Care and Efficiency metrics likely contributing to the current 2-star rating. OIG noted findings in four of the six areas of clinical operations reviewed and issued 10 recommendations that are attributable to the Chief of Staff, Nurse Executive, and Associate Director. The identified areas with deficiencies are:
(1) Quality, Safety, and Value
• Review of credentialing and privileging data
(2) Medication Management: Anticoagulation Therapy
• Patient education specific for newly prescribed anticoagulant medications
• Employee competency assessments
(3) Environment of Care
• Environment of care rounds attendance
• Damaged furnishings in patient care areas
• Panic alarm testing
• Radiation shield and apron integrity inspection and testing
• Annual inspection of radiology equipment
• Interdisciplinary Safety Inspection Team training
(4) Long-Team Care: Community Nursing Home Oversight
• Cyclical clinical visits
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"2017 Year in Review A look at inspiring individuals who help shape the MHS" Military Health System in Washington, D.C., United States
"2017 Year in Review A look at inspiring individuals who help shape the MHS" Military Health System in Washington, D.C., United States
2017 Year in Review A look at inspiring individuals who help shape the MHSStaff Sgt. Matthew Crabtree, a medic with the 285th Medical Company (Area Support) and a registered nurse, performs a medical assessment on an infant less than one month old Oct. 27, 2017, in Jayuya, Puerto Rico. Military medical personnel were critical to disaster response related to hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. (Ohio National Guard photo by Sgt. Joanna Bradshaw) by: Military Health System Communications OfficeMembers of the Military Health System family, spread across the country and overseas, have made a mark on the MHS this year. Here are few of these influential highlights:
Veterans. They trained with infantry soldiers, carrying first aid kits instead of weapons. They dodged bullets to tend to wounded soldiers, sometimes with whatever supplies they could find. And even in the midst of thick combat, they remained steadily focused on their mission of saving lives. They were the combat medics of World War II.
Known as “band-aid bandits” to their comrades, Pfc. Edwin Pepping and Staff Sgt. Albert Mampre were attached to Easy Company, 2nd Battalion of the 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division also known as the “Band of Brothers.” Seventy-three years ago, the U.S. took part in the invasion of Normandy, which would ultimately be the turning point of the war in Europe.
“A sense of humor is really what saved us,” said Pepping, who said the biggest lesson he learned as a medic was to duck. Veterans Day shed light on two more heroes of military medicine, platoon medic Charles Shay, who also hit the beach at Normandy, and Col. Pat Upah, who saw the Tet Offensive through the eyes of the combat soldiers she treated in Vietnam.
Advocates. Retired Army Gen. Carter Ham commanded a multinational brigade in Mosul during the early days of the Iraq War. “I was a brigadier general, so it wasn’t like I was out on combat patrol,” Ham said of those 13 months. Still, he witnessed the horrific aftermath of a suicide bomber’s attack on the forward operating base dining hall, which killed and wounded almost 90 U.S. and Iraqi soldiers and civilian contractors. And a few months after returning to the United States, he contacted a chaplain for emotional support after finally realizing “something’s not right with me. Something’s out of whack.” Learn more about service members reaching out for emotional support (or options available to them).
Providers. Military nurses are part of a versatile group of well-trained and well-educated professional leaders who take care of the people around them, both at home and on the front lines. During National Nurses Week, the Military Health System highlighted the diverse places our nurses serve.
“Being a nurse in the military is ever-changing and you have to be willing to adapt at all times,” said Army Capt. Christine Kampas, a brigade combat team nurse who served as the lead medical adviser at a regional hospital in southern Afghanistan. “It keeps you on your toes.”
Navy Capt. Michele Kane has spent 30 years as a nurse, researcher, and inspiring leader who became the first Navy nurse to earn a Ph.D. from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Kane was a key player in executing Project SERVE (or Student’s Education Related to the Veteran Experience), which teaches nursing students how to care for wounded warriors returning to their local communities.
Brig. Gen. Theresa Prince, a civilian nurse practitioner and Air National Guard assistant to the Air Force Nurse Corps chief, is one of 9,000 nurses serving in the reserve components. “Many reserve nurses work in highly skilled jobs throughout the week and then maintain a lot of those skills [in their reserve position], so they’re truly experts in both of their jobs,” said Prince. Patients reap the benefits of these highly skilled health care professionals who bring the best of the military and civilian systems to their work.
Researchers. For more than 17 million people in the United States living with severe eczema – a condition that results in dry, itchy rashes and disqualifies many from military service – the mystery behind its cause may be all too familiar. Thanks to researchers at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences and National Institutes of Health, certain eczema patients may understand more about their condition.
“Studying these … disorders, especially when we can define the disease based on a single mutation, is incredibly informative because you can learn a lot,” said Andrew Snow, assistant professor in the department of pharmacology and molecular therapeutics at USU.
First responders. U.S. Coast Guard mobile medical units assisted with hurricane relief efforts in Florida and Puerto Rico in the weeks following Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria. Cmdr. Donald Kuhl loaded up a truck with a trailer containing his pop-up medical clinic and bed for what would be the next few weeks in Florida. Lt. Cmdr. Jacklyn Finocchio boarded a military flight to Puerto Rico and, upon arrival, had to figure out where to report despite a lack of cellphone service. “We were just waiting for our chance to help out those we knew needed it,” said Finocchio, a Public Health Service pharmacy officer and mobile medical unit leader.
For Army Master Sgt. Dean Dawson, the opportunity to serve in hurricane relief efforts presented itself after a planned flight to Las Vegas with his wife was cancelled by the approach of Hurricane Harvey. Instead, Dawson drove 350 miles to Houston where he helped distribute food and water in the hard-hit area.
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Airman Adrianna Barelas, 4th Space Operations Squadron system administrator, displays her Grinch side for the holiday season at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, Dec. 1, 2017. Many things can cause stress during the holidays, including travel, financial strain from gift buying, and the expectations of friends and family. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class William Tracy) by: Military Health System Communications Office
Haul out the holly; another holiday season is here. In addition to military life, add to your list decking the halls at home, taking little ones to visit Santa, picking out presents, wrapping gifts, baking treats, and attending special events at work, school, and in the neighborhood. With so much going on, it’s easy to run out of time, money, and patience.
Haul out the holly; another holiday season is here. In addition to military life, add to your list decking the halls at home, taking little ones to visit Santa, picking out presents, wrapping gifts, baking treats, and attending special events at work, school, and in the neighborhood. With so much going on, it’s easy to run out of time, money, and patience.
Delilah Wieman, an Army spouse, talks with Fort Belvoir Community Hospital staff at a recent Family Readiness Group gathering. For 24 years, Wieman has stayed connected with the “military family” through 16 moves while raising five children. (Courtesy photo)Maj. Aimee Ruscio, U.S. Army psychologist for the Psychological Health Center of Excellence, recommends relieving some of the holiday pressure by remembering to do basic things that can help maintain balance: get enough sleep, exercise, talk with a friend, and eat nutritious foods."When I think about stress around the holidays, one part of it is the increased pace,” said Ruscio. “People are trying to do so much in a short period of time."
Travel and getting together with your family could create anticipation, with positive or negative expectations. "Spending time with family can be very rewarding,” said Ruscio. “It can also be a very stressful experience. There is a range of how people respond to that togetherness."
Ruscio says since family relationships are so important, spouses, parents, children, and others can trigger stronger emotional responses. According to Ruscio, we can choose how to respond and decide if we are going to be upset or if we can “let the experience be what it is.” She said, “If you’re feeling a little down or stressed out around the holidays, just know it’s a totally normal reaction - even when you love your family."
If you’re feeling more blue than merry, Ruscio recommends reaching out to someone you trust to talk about it. Memories of deceased family members or friends can leave you feeling sad that they’re not here for holiday gatherings. If you’re going through a divorce or another major life change, songs of joy and love may feel overwhelming. While deployed, or if your family member is away, “the years you are apart can be difficult,” says Ruscio. “It can also help you value the time you are together. You won't take it for granted as much."
"If you're feeling down, there is a lot of data that says getting out and doing something fun is a great way to boost your mood," Ruscio said.
According to Delilah Wieman, an Army spouse since 1993, military members and their families need only look within their community to connect with others and shake off holiday stress. "Don't stay home,” said Wieman. “Don't be locked in your house with the kids over break just sad and bummed that you can't go home, whether it is due to lack of funds or because a spouse has to work.”
Early on, Wieman plugged into a Family Readiness Group, or FRG, and has remained involved through 16 moves, all while raising five children with her husband, Col. Jason Wieman, director of Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. "The military family has been the key for me, whether it's been during the holidays or outside of them," she said.
Most recently, Wieman was part of an effort to establish the Defense Health Agency’s first hospital FRG at Fort Belvoir. While an FRG has a social aspect, it helps members find resources, offers volunteer activities and other opportunities to build relationships, and serves as a voice of the community for the command and unit. Wieman says the FRG is helping take care of families so service members at the hospital can focus on their mission of caring for patients.
"The military family is always there, whether you’re single or not. We change out every couple of years with different people, but we are still the same family, there whenever you need something,” Wieman said. “I recommend people get together with others, like the neighbors or the unit members who are not on shift. Ultimately, these relationships make the holidays more fun and memorable."
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VA Core Values: Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, Excellence (“I CARE”)
US Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Benefits Administration
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