AUBURN, AL - Early in his military career, David R. Crumbley MSN, CWCN, assistant clinical professor at the Auburn University School of Nursing, became inspired to help people through medicine.

HOUSTON - The prevalence of Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) increased twofold to threefold among VA users between 1998 and 2009, although the incidence of the disease, known collectively as inflammatory bowel disease, has either decreased or remained stable during that time period.

KANSAS CITY, MO - Obesity is no barrier to effectiveness for proton pump inhibitors (PPI) in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), according to a VA database study.

DURHAM, NC - Gastroenterologists often urge repeat colonoscopy for colonic polyp surveillance more frequently than recommended by the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force Colorectal Cancer and the American Cancer Society guidelines, according to a recent VA study warning that “overuse of colonoscopy for polyp surveillance poses a significant economic burden, may contribute to decreased colonoscopy capacity for initial screening, and increases the risk of complications.”1

WASHINGTON - While 2013 has been a difficult year so far when it comes to the budget, the Military Health System’s top doctor promised that funding for traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) research will be protected.

WASHINGTON - The DoD plans to cut its civilian workforce by 5% to 6% by the end of fiscal year 2018, including more than 5,000 from the Military Health System.

WASHINGTON - The president’s proposed fiscal year 2014 budget is "a strong budget" that will allow VA to continue to make progress in some key longterm goals, Secretary Eric Shinseki told lawmakers last month.