Top 10 Veterans News from Around the Country 9-29-09

What’s Inside Today’s Local News for Veterans

1. Wounded Soldier Gets Help From Veterans.
2. VA Said To Be Calling On Outside Organization For PTSD Help. 
3. VHA One Of The "Best Employers For Workers Over Fifty." 
4. Kansas Veterans Warned About Phone Scam. 
5. Survey Finds Problems In Test Result Follow-Up With Electronic E-Mail Alerts. 
6. Healing On The Water
7. Wisconsin VA Secretary Concerned About Returning Vets. 
8. Central Florida Vets Informed Of VA Computer System Change. 
9. WingFest Raises Money For Dayton VAMC 
10. VA, Pro Football Team Organize Event For Veterans

1.      Wounded Soldier Gets Help From Veterans.  The KKTV-TV Colorado Springs, CO (9/28, Aubry) website.

 2.      VA Said To Be Calling On Outside Organization For PTSD Help.  On its website, WINK-TV Fort Myers, FL (9/28, Crane) reported, "Since March," Operation Open Arms "has branched out from providing free vacations to veterans to something much more important — getting free care for soldiers suffering" from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Founder John Bunch "says word is spreading so fast that now the VA is calling on him for help," but he "says the goal was to offer an alternative for soldiers; not take over for the VA." However, Dr. Carol O’Brien, the "chief of PTSD programs at the Bay Pines VA Hospital," said calls for help "is not practice at the VA," which has "well-trained" PTSD treatment clinicians. WINK added, "The bottom line — both Operation Open Arms and the VA want you to know that help for PTSD is available. The VA recommends seeing a VA doctor."  

3.      VHA One Of The "Best Employers For Workers Over Fifty."  On its website, Federal News Radio (9/28, Kubota) said that despite a "predicted ‘retirement tsunami,’" Federal employees "are staying, rather than leaving, in droves. Experts point to a down economy as one possible reason, but another may well" be that the Federal "government is a great place to work." Deborah Russell, AARP’s director of workforce issues, "told FederalNewsRadio that two agencies in particular have been singled out for recognition on the AARP’s annual ‘Best Employers for Workers over Fifty’ list: the National Institutes of Health and the Veterans Health Administration." 

4.      Kansas Veterans Warned About Phone Scam.  In continuing coverage, the KWCH-TV Wichita, KS (9/28, Janzen) website reported, "Kansas veterans…are being warned about a new scam. Kansas Attorney General Steve Six said calls are being placed to veterans asking them for credit card information to update prescription records. The individuals" making the "calls are telling veterans they are from the Department of Veterans Affairs," but the VA "is warning veterans nationwide that the calls are not coming from them or anyone acting on the government’s behalf." KTKA-TV Topeka, KS (9/28, 10:09 p.m. CT) aired a similar report.

 5.      Survey Finds Problems In Test Result Follow-Up With Electronic E-Mail Alerts.  Bloomberg News (9/29, Ostrow) reports, "Critical results from medical imaging tests such as MRIs and X-rays, even when sent by electronic e-mail alerts to doctors, may ‘fall through the cracks’ without prompt attention and follow-up, a review" of US "veterans’ medical records found. About 18 percent of the 1,196 outpatient imaging results that generated electronic alerts showing medical abnormalities were not read or acknowledged by doctors at a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Houston and its clinics, the survey found. Researchers found 7.7 percent of the alerts, including some diagnosed later as cancer, weren’t followed up by physicians within a month of receiving
them, according to a study published" Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Electronic medical records "enabled researchers to track how well doctors respond to test results that required action, said lead author Hardeep Singh. Finding and fixing problems at Veterans Affairs hospitals, where records already are electronic, will help other doctors and health systems as they move from paper records toward similar information technology systems, he said."
      The Houston Chronicle (9/29, Ackerman, 427K) reports, ‘This shows we still have a lot of work to do,’ said…Singh," a VA "administrator who led the study. ‘It also shows you can’t just install an electronic system and assume it’ll work optimally. There’s a human factor.’" The Los Angeles Times‘ (9/28, Mestel) "Booster Shots" blog also noted the study. 

6.      Healing On The Water.  The Lexington (KY) Herald-Leader (9/29, Meehan). 

7.      Wisconsin VA Secretary Concerned About Returning Vets.  In continuing coverage, the New Richmond (WI) News (9/28) noted that Wisconsin Veterans Affairs Secretary John Scocos "says he’s concerned about helping the thousands of troops due back from Iraq early next year." Scocos, who "is just back himself from his second tour" in Iraq, "tells the Wisconsin State Journal the state needs to provide more long-term funding for current programs, plus new ones to help veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. The state veterans’ trust fund…has dropped to $28 million," and "unless it gets a boost, experts say it could run dry in 2012." The News added that Scocos "says he supports an audit requested by the Veterans’ Affairs Board while he was gone." Scocos "promises to fix any problems the auditors find," but former Wisconsin VA Secretary Ray Boland "said the audit could district the department from its mission of serving veterans, at a time when more than 3,000 are due back early next year. Boland also fears an effort to remove Scocos."
      Documents Show Wisconsin Governor Approved Purchase Of Fire Truck For Wisconsin Veterans Home.  The AP (9/29) reports, "Newly released records show Gov. Jim Doyle approved the purchase of a $250,000 fire truck for the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King." The Wisconsin VA "has said the truck was one of several purchases that was not authorized by lawmakers. The agency asked for an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, which continues."

 8.      Central Florida Vets Informed Of VA Computer System Change.  Florida’s The Daily Commercial (9/28, Ell) reported, "Central Florida veterans may have to change where they get their medical care, but it has nothing to do with any local facility closing or discontinuing services. Calls have started going out to area veterans informing them of a reorganization" of the Veterans Affairs "health care computer system. Locally, the biggest impact will be felt by veterans who use" the VA "facility in Leesburg," which on Thursday "will become part of the newly created Orlando system. Previously, Leesburg was part of the North Florida/South Georgia system." 

9.      WingFest Raises Money For Dayton VAMC.  The Wapakoneta (OH) Daily News (9/29, Nichols) reports "eight vendors…faced off Saturday during the eighth annual Wapakoneta WingFest, held at the American Legion Post 330. The event, labeled ‘Northwest Ohio’s Original Wing Competition’ raises money" for the Dayton Veterans Affairs Medical Center. During "its eight years, the event has raised more than $50,000" for the hospital.

10.    VA, Pro Football Team Organize Event For Veterans.  On its website, KDKA-TV Pittsburgh, PA (9/28) noted that on Monday, pro football’s "Pittsburgh Steelers invited about 75" US military vets "and their families to Heinz Field for a little friendly football competition. The veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq kicked, punted and threw footballs with some of their favorite Steelers like Daniel Sepulveda, Greg Warren and Ryan Mundy. Monday night’s event was organized by the Steelers in conjunction with VA Healthcare VISN 4, to provide a special evening" for the vets, "many of whom were injured in the war."