Clinical Care: Leveraging Veteran-Centric Specialty Services in Primary Care
One of the most substantial additions to the framework is the Clinical Care line of effort. Clinical health care for Gulf War Veterans is one of the most critical services VA can provide. This line of action is directly supported by Clinical Education and Training to ensure VA providers are well prepared to care for this population. Clinical care also benefits from research and development and Ongoing Scientific Review and Surveillance which inform and direct the best in evidence-based healthcare. The GWVI-TF has developed a prototype for a networked Gulf War Clinic which will be implemented at the Salt Lake City Veterans Affairs Medical Center in the coming year. The clinic will link subject matter experts and clinical specialists with primary care providers to optimize the care delivered to these patients. Teaching aids, referral networks, and other collaborative processes will be exercised in this effort.
Please provide your comments, questions, and suggestion on how we may improve the Clinical Care section of the report.
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Jesus Torres Army/Marine vet. commented
IF A PERSON HAS SOME SYSTEMS LIKE THE ONES THAT HAVE CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR MANY VETS LIKE GERD,GASTORIAL,THROAT,AND BLADDER,FATIQUE PROBLEMS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND IF YOUR PRIMARY DOCTOR DIAGNOSE SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS WHY THE BOARD WILL NOT APPROVE THE ILLNESS BECAUSE IT IS NO LONGER UNDIAGNOSE. HOW THEY GOING TO KNOW WHAT IT IS. CONFUSE VET. ITS ALL ON THE MEDICAL RECORDS. TRY TO IMPROVE THAT
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Angel Warrior 07 commented
You all say it for me! Here are some of my questions regarding what you speak of above - What are the teaching aides? Has any GWI Veterans reviewed them? Do they have the correct information? Can we preview them? If so, how do we get them to preview? Collaborative processes will be exercised - What are they? Clinical education - what are they being told and trained for? Can GWI Vets review this information? Could we be a part of making sure it is accurate? Has any of us gotten to be a part of it to ensure accuracy? Exposure seminars - VA hosted - Who got to go to them? Any of the smaller CBOC doctors and rural doctors or just the larger VA systems in hopes of it getting down to the rural and smaller VA doctors? How many got this training? Is there updated training? Can we see what training was given? I would like to see the Environmental Health Card given to the PCP. What does it say regarding GWI? Is it available to us GWI Vets? Is everything included or is it just directed in the direction it is meant to go? How can we GWI Vets become a part of this? Is the door open? I think doctors need our help in understanding us. Are the RAC members and WRIISC personnel and other researchers who have great knowledge about GWI able to be a part of giving SLC personnel information on what has already been found regarding research or are they going to have to start all over? Lots of good information already there! Dr. Haley, Dr. Baranuik, etc.
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George commented
I had a VA PCP, tell me that she never diagnoses any one with CFS, and that she has worked at 5 different VA hospitals, and they all do it that way. She even wrote in my records that a diagnosis of CFS would be of no benefit, as there is no treatment. That is the same attitude that most of us GW1 vets are encountering through out the VA system.
Many vets have been driven away from looking to the VA for help, either from direct experiences, or seeing what the VA has done to their fellow vets. The VA is trying to portray that they have changed, but in reality its the same old dog, doing the same old tricks.
As the days go by, its becoming apparent that the VA is trying to make the GW1, a forgotten way between 2 big ones.
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Robert Giles commented
The problem is that the Doctors work for the VA and the VA has proticall for dealing with these issues. That is to ignore,denie or just don't properly document what the Veteran says. I have pulled my records after a appointment and the either twisted,took statements out of context or completely fabricated the complete exam. Orlando VA is not out to help the Vet.
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Ezjay commented
Will the VA accept these results as substantial for granting disability? Will the process finally show some movement? How will this add to or tak away from the backlog they are faced with now? The process should be designed to eliminate waste.
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Anonymous commented
Some VA docotors are no listening to the patients complaints concerning their health and when they to explain whats going on they disapprove or don't document symptoms correctly, so its hard to tie in a service connected disability. I hope and pray VA can get this right because veterans are being harrassed when it comes to their health and compensation claims.
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janet commented
VA doctors are the worst, the VA hires outside civilian MD's to disprove your symptoms and claims. It's really simple, just be honest, they expect that of soldiers, but they prefer the red tape. Get over it, VA.
Get real doctors, not the rejects from the local teaching hospitals.
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David LaShell commented
I have read comments and agree on two points. One, to date I have not found ANY physcian, specialist, or C&P examiner who can identify with Gulf War Illness. Two, once I identified the fact I may have GWI symptoms it took two months to get information for WRIISC. After hand feeding the physicains information, writing the paperwork for the physician I was referred and got to the WRIISC. I received my report then was told by a non-VA examiner none of the diagnosed illnesses by WRIISC were acceptable. We need to stop adding steps for health in other places and upgrade the ones we have who are doing great work.WRIISC were informative and thorough in there examination. They left nothing out and really cared. Now why mess with something that works that well just to discredit them when it comes time for compensation?
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Robert CARTER commented
THE RECORDS OF GW 1 NEED TO BE MARKED SO THAT VETERANS IS RECODNISED AS SUCH. HAVE A SERIES OF QUESTIONS THAT THE NURSE CAN ASK RELATED TO GULF WAR VETERANS. THEN SENT TO THE RESEARCHERS TO COMPAIR WITH OTHERS.
THIS ALSO NEEDS TO BE DONE FOR VIETNAM VETS.
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Joe Dienstag commented
How about educating the doctors, and nurses? At every VA clinic, or hospital I have been to, NO ONE had a clue as to what GWI is, let alone being schooled in treatments. 20 years later, and the doctors still have not been updated,
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michael commented
I think there is a number of very important issues which are often overlooked when comes to this population of veterans. To begin with I think it would be a good Idea to have all VHA direct clinical practitioners have annual training.(LMS) This would include but not limited to Doctors, PA,NP,Respiratory Therapist, Nurses, and any other direct clinical provider. As a former VHA direct clinical provider and Gulf Veteran it is imperative that VHA and veterans alike are educated on GWI. First and foremost we must ensure those treating our veterans are up to speed with latest information concerning this population.
Thanks,
Michael USARMYVET -
drinkme commented
In truth that was what the WRIISC program was supposed to be. It shouldnt be necessary to create a whole new program when one exist that can be retooled. The WRIISC is still treated as a "one stop" program rather than long term observation center. Also, its functions has been abused by VA in the past to produce biased studies rather than larger objective ones. We dont need to create more government, we need to make what we have better. This program should be more veteran oriented, and less governed by hidden VA ORD agendas or environmental agents legacy personnels past rheotoric that have not panned out. It should have a veteran panel on it to help guide it in more positive directions, and not one hand selected by VA with ringers on board just to enforce stale stereotypes. The WRIISC can do positive things if it wasnt so busy following antiquated agendas to produce negative concept research data.