substance abuse

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Target Breach: Are Pharmacy Records Safe?

Jake Anderson | Twin Cities Business | January 16, 2014

Target has not indicated that pharmacy records were exposed, although some say the recent data breach amplifies concerns about “medical identity theft” at retail chains with pharmacies. Read More »

Task Force Calls For More 'Evidence Based' Treatment Of Veterans

David Perera | FierceGovernment | March 26, 2013

The assessment tool the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments use to assess cognitive function after a head injury, the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metric, lacks clear scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness, says a report from an Institute of Medicine task force. Read More »

Test Highlights: How To Do EHR Data Sharing Right

Mary Mosquera | Healthcare IT News | September 19, 2012

The Department Veterans Affairs  and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration have demonstrated how to securely share sensitive health information via electronic health records  (EHRs). Read More »

Texas Vets Dying Young At Alarming Rate

Barrett Welch and Leesha Faulkner | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal | September 30, 2012

A six-month investigation by the Austin American-Statesman of Texas’ Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who died after leaving the military found that an alarmingly high percentage died from prescription drug overdoses, toxic drug combinations, suicide and single-car crashes — a largely unseen pattern of early death that federal authorities are failing to adequately track. Read More »

The Last Battle: Efforts To Provide Mental Health Care For War Veterans Falling Short

Greg Barnes and John Ramsey | FayObserver.com | September 26, 2012

The last battle of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is being fought at home. And in 2012, the military and the VA have done more than ever to respond to the anguish of men and women who are haunted by war...But there is little evidence that the tide has turned in the battle. Read More »

The Last Battle: Is The Army Doing Enough To Help Soldiers Suffering From Mental Health Problems?

Greg Barnes | FayObserver.com | September 23, 2012

The Army has rolled out program after program aimed at identifying and helping soldiers who suffer from mental health problems related to a decade of war. Despite those efforts, figures show that soldiers and veterans continue to commit crimes and take their own lives in record numbers.

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US military veterans face inadequate care after returning from war – report

Karen McVeigh | theguardian | March 26, 2013

Study for Congress has 'serious misgivings' about government's treatment of US troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan us military veterans Read More »

VA & SAMHSA test Exchange of Tagged Substance Abuse Data

Mary Mosquera | Government Health IT | September 18, 2012

The Veterans Affairs Department and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration have demonstrated how to securely share sensitive health information while following confidentiality laws and patient disclosure wishes among providers using certified electronic health records (EHRs). Read More »

VA Drive To Hire 1,600 Mental Health Professionals Hits Community Clinics’ Supply

Guy Gugliotta | Kaiser Health News | April 7, 2013

The Department of Veterans Affairs, trying to cope with a surge in psychological needs of veterans, has vowed to hire 1,600 additional mental health care professionals by the end of June, but some experts say the pool of qualified candidates is too small and the federal effort could jeopardize already-understaffed community health organizations. Read More »

VA Gives Tranquilizers To 30 Percent Of PTSD Patients, Despite Warnings

Bob Brewin | Nextgov | March 18, 2013

The Veterans Affairs Department treats more than 30 percent of veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder with tranquilizers such as Xanax and Valium, despite clinical practice guidelines issued in 2010 warning against their use, VA’s National Center for PTSD reported. Read More »

VA Prescribing Tranquilizers For PTSD Despite Warnings Against

Robin Wulffson | Examiner.com | April 9, 2013

If you are a veteran suffering from with post-traumatic stress disorder and are receiving a type of tranquilizer known as a benzodiazepine, such as Valium or Xanax, you are receiving the wrong medication. A VA clinical psychologist noted that veterans diagnosed with PTSD are still being prescribed these medications by Department of Veterans Affairs physicians despite VA guidelines advising against their use for the condition. Read More »

Veterans With PTSD Caught In The System

Reba Glidewell | Corrections.com | July 29, 2013

An unfortunate industry trend on the rise is the number of veterans involved in the criminal justice system – approximately 10 percent of people who are incarcerated at any one time are estimated to be veterans. [...] Read More »

What's Tylenol Doing To Our Minds?

James Hamblin | Atlantic | April 18, 2013

The active drug in Tylenol, acetaminophen, is one of the best medications we have for helping people in pain. It's also one the most commonly overdosed substances in the world and puts about 60,000 Americans in the hospital every year. Several hundred people in the U.S. will die in 2013 from liver failure after acetaminophen overdose. Read More »

Why Suicide Prevention Is Part of Population Health Strategy

Paul B. Hofmann and Jerry Reed | Hospitals & Health Networks | May 9, 2016

As hospitals and health systems recognize the need to devote more time and attention to population health management and improving community health, more effort correspondingly must be focused on behavioral health services. In response, the American Hospital Association has launched an initiative to assist hospitals with behavioral health...

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Why VA Health Care Is Different

David J. Shulkin | Federal Practitioner | May 1, 2016

Is VA health care really “all that different” from what veterans would find in the private sector? As someone who spent more than 25 years managing private sector health care organizations and recently joined VA as its under secretary for health, I’ve had the unique opportunity to compare the health care systems. Over the past several months, I’ve met with veterans and their families, veterans service organizations, VA clinicians, facility staff, and veteran employees at all levels...

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