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Battlefield Lessons Save Lives, Limbs after Boston Marathon Explosions
SAN ANTONIO, TX - Ten years ago, many of the survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing with major lower body injuries would likely have spent the rest of their lives in a wheelchair. A new -- and far more positive -- set of expectations have been established, however, because of 12 years of experience with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) gained in Iraq and Afghanistan.
From the Editor-in-Chief
“The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” ~ Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Like most Americans, I was shocked and horrified at the Boston Marathon bombings that ripped through the event on Monday, April 15, 2013, at 1450 (2:50 p.m.). It was difficult to process the images of explosions and injuries coming out of Boston that I personally associate with distant lands and conflicts. I recognize that, for many countries, this senseless violence is, sadly, all too routine. We are a country that prides itself on the nonviolent expression of political views and the use of peaceful demonstration to effect political change. While, as a society, we have not always been successful in the nonviolent expression of political views, we are rarely exposed as a nation to the random, cowardly and senseless attacks that were perpetrated on the Boston Marathon. The political value of attacking that historic event escapes me. Read More
VA Will Introduce Productivity Models for Five MD Specialties This Year
Currently in Place for Radiology, Ophthalmology
WASHINGTON - Under pressure to develop an accurate method of assessing physician output and determining appropriate staffing levels at medical facilities, the VA has agreed to establish productivity models for five additional specialties by the end of this fiscal year.
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VA's Proposed FY14 Budget Includes 10.2% Increase Over Last Year
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.
DoD Budget Seeks to Cut More Than 5,000 Civilian Healthcare Workers Over Five Years
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.
TBI, PTSD Research Will Go On Despite DoD Budget Crunch
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.
VA Specialists Often Exceed Guidelines in Colonoscopy Screening Follow-Up
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
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