Top 10 Veterans News from Around the Country 08-16-08

1. Study Finds Gulf War Syndrome Symptoms Among Iraq Veterans.
2. Debate Continues Over Placement Of New Orleans VA Center.  
3. Vets Advocates Propose Advance Funding For VA.  
4. Soldiers Praise Fort Meade Transition Center.  
5. Veterans’ Care Symposium Highlights Needs Of Female Veterans.  
6. VA Suicide Hotline Praised, But Further Efforts Still Needed.  
7. Health Analyst Says VistA ‘Detracts’ From Patient Care.  
8. VA Discussing New Center With University Despite Opposition.  
9. Veterans Hospital Says Some May Have Received Insufficient Radiation.  
10. Ohio Governor Creates New Education Programs For Veterans.

     1.                1.      Study Finds Gulf War Syndrome Symptoms Among Iraq Veterans.   PhysOrg (8/16) reports on a recent study which found that "more than 80 percent of a sample of Air Force women deployed in Iraq and other areas around the world report suffering from persistent fatigue, fever, hair loss, and difficulty concentrating." These symptoms are "similar to many symptoms of Gulf War Syndrome, the controversial condition reported by veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf War." The study’s author says the symptoms may be caused by "some unknown environmental factor," or could "result from the stress of military deployment."

2.      Debate Continues Over Placement Of New Orleans VA Center.   The New Orleans Times-Picayune (8/16, Moran, 182K) reports that "the people who stand to be displaced" by a proposed new VA hospital in downtown New Orleans "have pressed the US Department of Veterans Affairs to consider other locations [which] would not require the demolition of traditional shotgun houses and other historic landmarks." Last year, "the VA’s secretary named downtown New Orleans as the preferred site for the new hospital," in part so the hospital could share "a range of services" with LSU medical centers there. The VA is "giving serious weight" to alternate proposals, though.

3.      Vets Advocates Propose Advance Funding For VA.   Navy Times (8/16, Maze) reports, "Hoping to avoid annual problems with veterans’ health care budgets that are too late and too small," the Partnership for Veterans Health Care Budget Reform are proposing "a radical change in how Congress funds Department of Veterans Affairs medical programs." The group is pushing "Congress to treat VA funding similar to funding for Medicare and Medicaid," which do not require annual budget approvals. One veterans’ advocate described the proposal "as a way for veterans to get the first slice of funding in each budget without having to compete with other programs."

4.      Soldiers Praise Fort Meade Transition Center.   The Annapolis Capital (8/16, Stewart) profiles the Warrior in Transition Unit and the Soldier and Family Assistance Center at Fort Meade, where injured soldiers and their families receive care and counseling. According to one veteran, "the difficulty we had was the transition between (the Department of Defense) and veterans." To assist with this transition, the Center "manages soldiers’ treatments, well-being, psychological care, and career direction." Another soldier said "he would recommend [the Center] to any other soldier in his position."

5.      Veterans’ Care Symposium Highlights Needs Of Female Veterans.   The Comerset County Daily American (8/16, DiPaolo) reports, "The third annual Veterans Community Response Symposium brought more than 200 medical professionals, rehabilitation specialists, community leaders, and veterans" together "to push the idea of community-based care for soldiers returning home from service." In addition, one of "the new topics for the symposium was the growing issue of female veterans’ care," and particularly raising "awareness" of the unique challenges female veterans face.

6.      VA Suicide Hotline Praised, But Further Efforts Still Needed.   The Tri State Observer (8/16) reports that the high rate of suicide among veterans "may be improving, thanks to a national suicide prevention hotline put in place last year by the US Department of Veterans Affairs." The program estimates that its efforts have resulting in "the actual prevention of at least 720 imminent suicides." Many veterans advocacy groups "applaud the hotline; they say returning veterans have needed an efficient round-the-clock resource like this for a long time." Nevertheless, the suicide rate remains high, leaving "plenty of work to be done to make sure that the psychological wounds of war are addressed when veterans come home."

7.      Health Analyst Says VistA ‘Detracts’ From Patient Care.   In an examination of federal health IT programs, iHealthBeat (8/16, Lauer) notes that an official at one prominent think tank said, "I have spoken to a number of physicians who have used [VistA] and they tell me that it detracts from patient care and time spent with patients, and it results in inaccurate records as physicians use cut and paste to enter information."

8.      VA Discussing New Center With University Despite Opposition.   The Denver Business Journal (8/16, Mook) reports, "Members of Colorado’s congressional delegation and the US Department of Veterans Affairs are at an impasse over the location for a new veterans hospital at the former Fitzsimons Army Medical Center a project that’s been on hold for seven years. But Jacque Montgomery, a spokeswoman for the University of Colorado Denver, said the University of Colorado Hospital is continuing talks with the VA for use of the second tower, despite opposition from veterans groups," 

9.      Veterans Hospital Says Some May Have Received Insufficient Radiation.   The Philadelphia Inquirer (8/16, 376K) reports, "A Philadelphia veterans hospital says it may have given insufficient radiation treatment to more than 100 prostate-cancer patients. The Philadelphia VA Medical Center says it’s reviewing records of 114 cancer patients who may have received the wrong dosages during the past six years. Hospital spokeswoman Fern Billet says two patients have since died," though "it’s not clear if the feared error played any role in their deaths."

10.    Ohio Governor Creates New Education Programs For Veterans.   The Port Clinton News Herald (8/16) reports, "Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland signed an executive order establishing The Ohio GI Promise, which changes Ohio’s residence requirements to allow all veterans of the US Armed Services, their spouses, and dependents who choose to attend Ohio colleges and universities to do so at in-state tuition rates." The executive order also establishes offices and programs to educate veterans about the GI Promise, and expands scholarships for veterans.