Evaluation of the Department of Veterans Affairs Mental Health Services

Evaluation of the Department of Veterans Affairs Mental Health Services PDF Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309466601
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 467

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Book Description
Approximately 4 million U.S. service members took part in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Shortly after troops started returning from their deployments, some active-duty service members and veterans began experiencing mental health problems. Given the stressors associated with war, it is not surprising that some service members developed such mental health conditions as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and substance use disorder. Subsequent epidemiologic studies conducted on military and veteran populations that served in the operations in Afghanistan and Iraq provided scientific evidence that those who fought were in fact being diagnosed with mental illnesses and experiencing mental healthâ€"related outcomesâ€"in particular, suicideâ€"at a higher rate than the general population. This report provides a comprehensive assessment of the quality, capacity, and access to mental health care services for veterans who served in the Armed Forces in Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn. It includes an analysis of not only the quality and capacity of mental health care services within the Department of Veterans Affairs, but also barriers faced by patients in utilizing those services.

Evaluation of the Department of Veterans Affairs Mental Health Services

Evaluation of the Department of Veterans Affairs Mental Health Services PDF Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309466601
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 467

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Book Description
Approximately 4 million U.S. service members took part in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Shortly after troops started returning from their deployments, some active-duty service members and veterans began experiencing mental health problems. Given the stressors associated with war, it is not surprising that some service members developed such mental health conditions as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and substance use disorder. Subsequent epidemiologic studies conducted on military and veteran populations that served in the operations in Afghanistan and Iraq provided scientific evidence that those who fought were in fact being diagnosed with mental illnesses and experiencing mental healthâ€"related outcomesâ€"in particular, suicideâ€"at a higher rate than the general population. This report provides a comprehensive assessment of the quality, capacity, and access to mental health care services for veterans who served in the Armed Forces in Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn. It includes an analysis of not only the quality and capacity of mental health care services within the Department of Veterans Affairs, but also barriers faced by patients in utilizing those services.

Interventions to Improve Veterans' Access to Care

Interventions to Improve Veterans' Access to Care PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 49

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Book Description
Recently, researchers within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have begun to develop an updated conceptualization of access which takes into account the impact of new technology on access and places a greater focus on outcomes beyond increased access. Specifically, the new conceptualization acknowledges post-access outcomes such as satisfaction, symptom levels, and functioning. As such, we sought to conduct a review of the literature that would clarify the current state of knowledge regarding the link between access to healthcare and system-level (e.g., utilization, satisfaction with care) and patient-level (quality of life, symptoms, mortality) outcomes. Given VA's continuing commitment to improving access for veterans, we also examined the efficacy of interventions designed to improve access, with a focus on access, system-level, and patient-level outcomes.

Interventions to Improve Veterans' Access to Care

Interventions to Improve Veterans' Access to Care PDF Author: U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Publisher: Createspace Independent Pub
ISBN: 9781490364001
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 50

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Book Description
Access to healthcare has been identified as a critical issue, both by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the larger medical community. Access has been broadly defined as “the timely use of personal health services to achieve the best health outcomes” and has been hypothesized to have three discrete steps: 1) gaining entry into the system, 2) getting access to sites of care where patients can receive needed services, and 3) finding providers who meet the needs of the patient and with whom a productive working relationship can form. Historically, VA has focused on the first two steps (getting access to the system and sites of care) and has adopted Demakis's conceptualization of access as an individual's ability to obtain the healthcare they need within an appropriate time frame. Recently, researchers within the VA have begun to develop an updated conceptualization of access which takes into account the impact of new technology on access and places a greater focus on outcomes beyond increased access. Specifically, while the definition of access remains limited to the ability to connect with needed care, the reconceptualization acknowledges post-access outcomes such as satisfaction, symptom levels, and functioning. As such, we sought to conduct a review of the literature that would clarify the current state of the knowledge regarding the link between access to healthcare (both objective and perceived access) and system-level (e.g., utilization, satisfaction with care) and patient-level (quality of life, symptoms, mortality) outcomes. Further, the VA has continued its commitment to improving access for Veterans, and has implemented several programs designed to improve access to care for all veterans. Examples include the establishment of clinics located in areas distant from VA facilities (Community-Based Outpatient Clinics or CBOCs), mobile clinics, and increased use of telecommunications (telephone, internet, or videoconferencing). As such, we also examined the efficacy of interventions designed to improve access, with a focus on access, system-level, and patient-level outcomes. The Key Questions addressed in this review are: KEY QUESTION #1: What is the evidence that variation in veterans' ability to obtain needed health care (i.e., access) contributes to variation in system level (e.g., utilization, satisfaction) or patient level (e.g., quality of life, functional ability, mortality) outcomes? KEY QUESTION #1A: Does the effect of access on system and/or patient level outcomes differ by patient (e.g., demographics, overall health, illness severity), treatment (e.g., mental health, physical health), or setting (e.g., rural, urban, community, VA) characteristics? KEY QUESTION #2: What interventions have been successful in improving access for patient populations with reduced health care access? KEY QUESTION #2A: Have interventions that have improved health care access led to improvements in system level and patient level outcomes?

Interventions to Improve Veterans' Access to Care: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Interventions to Improve Veterans' Access to Care: A Systematic Review of the Literature PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description


Access Management Improvement

Access Management Improvement PDF Author: Paul G. Shekelle
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 59

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Book Description
Timely access to care is one of the fundamental characteristics of a health system. Access to primary care is important since primary care both diagnoses and treats most common conditions and also acts as the gateway, in systems like VA, to other types of care. Providing access to care is a struggle for almost all health systems. VA is committed to improving access to primary care without the need to add substantial additional resources. An earlier ESP review from 2011 focuses on interventions to improve Veterans access to care. Among the topics considered were opening new Community-based Outpatient clinics, integrating mental health care into primary care, expanding the use of telehealth, reducing co-payments, etcetera. VA has made some policy changes based on these findings. More recently, the Institute of Medicine released a report, commissioned by VA, entitled Transforming Health Care Scheduling and Access: Getting to Now. This report noted that, while timely access was likely a problem nationwide, there is a lack of evidence to provide setting-specific guidance on what constitutes timely care. Nevertheless, the report concluded that despite deficiencies there are enough data to conclude that several basic principles be followed to improve access to care: matching supply to demand, immediate engagement of patient's needs, patient preference on the timing and nature of care, need-tailored care, surge contingencies, and continuous assessment of changing circumstances.

Va Health Care

Va Health Care PDF Author: United States Accounting Office (GAO)
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 9781721139408
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 28

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Book Description
VA Health Care: Efforts to Improve Veterans' Access to Primary Care Services

Combating Tobacco Use in Military and Veteran Populations

Combating Tobacco Use in Military and Veteran Populations PDF Author: Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309146844
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 381

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Book Description
The health and economic costs of tobacco use in military and veteran populations are high. In 2007, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) requested that the Institute of Medicine (IOM) make recommendations on how to reduce tobacco initiation and encourage cessation in both military and veteran populations. In its 2009 report, Combating Tobacco in Military and Veteran Populations, the authoring committee concludes that to prevent tobacco initiation and encourage cessation, both DoD and VA should implement comprehensive tobacco-control programs.

Transforming Health Care Scheduling and Access

Transforming Health Care Scheduling and Access PDF Author: Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309339227
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 226

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Book Description
According to Transforming Health Care Scheduling and Access, long waits for treatment are a function of the disjointed manner in which most health systems have evolved to accommodate the needs and the desires of doctors and administrators, rather than those of patients. The result is a health care system that deploys its most valuable resource-highly trained personnel-inefficiently, leading to an unnecessary imbalance between the demand for appointments and the supply of open appointments. This study makes the case that by using the techniques of systems engineering, new approaches to management, and increased patient and family involvement, the current health care system can move forward to one with greater focus on the preferences of patients to provide convenient, efficient, and excellent health care without the need for costly investment. Transforming Health Care Scheduling and Access identifies best practices for making significant improvements in access and system-level change. This report makes recommendations for principles and practices to improve access by promoting efficient scheduling. This study will be a valuable resource for practitioners to progress toward a more patient-focused "How can we help you today?" culture.

Homelessness Among U.S. Veterans

Homelessness Among U.S. Veterans PDF Author: Jack Tsai
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190695137
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 297

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Book Description
The challenges facing military veterans who return to civilian life in the United States are persistent and well documented. But for all the political outcry and attempts to improve military members' readjustments, veterans of all service eras face formidable obstacles related to mental health, substance abuse, employment, and — most damningly — homelessness. Homelessness Among U.S. Veterans synthesizes the new glut of research on veteran homelessness — geographic trends, root causes, effective and ineffective interventions to mitigate it — in a format that provides a needed reference as this public health fight continues to be fought. Codifying the data and research from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) campaign to end veteran homelessness, psychologist Jack Tsai links disparate lines of research to produce an advanced and elegant resource on a defining social issue of our time.

Improving Access to High-Quality Mental Health Care for Veterans

Improving Access to High-Quality Mental Health Care for Veterans PDF Author: National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780309708333
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description