1 / 21

WOMEN VETERANS UNIQUE and SPECIAL NEEDS

WOMEN VETERANS UNIQUE and SPECIAL NEEDS. Safe Patient Handling Program Tampa, Florida Sept 15-18, 2008 Peggy Mikelonis ANP-BC, MS, NE-BC Lead Women Veterans Program Manager VISN 8. OVERVIEW. Increasing number of women veterans Access Needs Primary Care/Gender Specific Care

lilith
Download Presentation

WOMEN VETERANS UNIQUE and SPECIAL NEEDS

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. WOMEN VETERANS UNIQUE and SPECIAL NEEDS Safe Patient Handling Program Tampa, Florida Sept 15-18, 2008 Peggy Mikelonis ANP-BC, MS, NE-BC Lead Women Veterans Program Manager VISN 8

  2. OVERVIEW • Increasing number of women veterans • Access • Needs • Primary Care/Gender Specific Care • Provider needs • Equipment needs • Women Veterans with Special Needs • Who, What, Why and How

  3. Women Veterans Using VA

  4. More women veterans on the way “Freshman class” of women military • Army 20 % • Navy 20% • Air Force 28% • Marines 6%

  5. Age groups Women Veterans Using VA

  6. The OIF/OEF Woman Veteran Impacts VA • She is utilizing VA Services: 42.2% enroll • She is coming to VA frequently • 45.6% were seen 2-10 visits • 38.5 % seen 11 or more times since 2002

  7. Demographics–AgeN = 94,010 Women Veterans VA Healthcare Utilization Among 94,010 Female OIF/OEF Veterans Through 1st Qtr. FY 2008 Environmental Epidemiology Service

  8. VHA Health Policy • Gender specific care is primary care • Challenge: How to provide sufficient numbers of interested and proficient primary care providers for women veterans • One stop shop and what it means: Her primary care provider provides gender specific care • Mental Health integration into Primary care is essential for women’s healthcare

  9. VA Challenge • Responding to influx of women • Proficient Providers • Training Programs • Nurses, Support staff • Appropriate and adequate equipment • Tables (hi-lo) for breast and pelvic exams • Gynecological equipment for handicapped women

  10. WHO are these Women Veterans? WHAT are their special Needs? WHAT is different? WHY do we need to focus on this issue now? HOW do we care for them?

  11. Who are WV with special needs?? • Young. Old • Single , Married, Divorced, Same sex partners • Have young children • Employed, unemployed • Homeless • Various racial, ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds

  12. What are some of the Special Needs?? • Amputees • Polytrauma • TBI • Burn victims • Survivors of MST (military sexual trauma)

  13. Diagnosis same as men but not treated the same • SCI • Mental Health Issues • Mobility limitations • Blind • Obesity • Stroke victims • Multiple sclerosis

  14. UNIQUE Women's NEEDS • Gynecological Disorders • Bleeding disorders • Cancers (cervical, ovarian, uterine, vulvar) • Infertility • Pregnancies • Breast cancer • Reconstruction • Implants • Self image issues

  15. Why do we need to be concerned? • Equal but not the Same • New generation of veterans • NEW FACE of VA • Training needs • PRIVACY and SAFETY

  16. HOW DO WE DO IT • It takes a VILLAGE • Address/focus on women in every new program developed, equipment purchased, policies developed, and staff hired at your facilities • Work with Local WVPM • Be INVOLVED • THANK a WOMAN VETERAN FOR HER SERVICE

  17. YOU SERVE, YOU DESERVE THE BEST CARE ANYWHERE QUESTIONS??? COMMENTS Thank you

More Related