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Caring for Women Veterans. Lisa Roybal Women Veterans Program Manager VA Loma Linda Healthcare System Primary Author : Patricia M. Hayes, Ph.D Women Veterans Health Strategic Health Care Group Office of Patient Care Services, Veterans Health Administration Department of Veterans Affairs.
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Caring for Women Veterans Lisa Roybal Women Veterans Program Manager VA Loma Linda Healthcare System Primary Author : Patricia M. Hayes, Ph.D Women Veterans Health Strategic Health Care Group Office of Patient Care Services, Veterans Health Administration Department of Veterans Affairs
RethinkVeterans 5/8/12 2
Women Veteran Population Increasing, Total Vet Population Declining Source: VetPOP, VA Office of Policy and Planning • 5/8/12 3
Women VA Users Doubled Since 2000 159,000 337,000 2000 2011 Sources: Women’s Health Evaluation Initiative (WHEI) and the Women Veterans Health Strategic Health Care Group; Sourcebook: Women Veterans in the Veterans Health Administration V1: Sociodemographic Characteristics and Use of VHA Care, 2011. VHA’s Office of Finance Allocation Resource Center (ARC). • 5/8/12 4
Women Represent • 14.5% of Active Duty military • 18% of National Guard/Reserves • 11.6% of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) Veterans • 6% of VA health care users • 5/8/12 5
The Changing Face of VA • Young women • Frequent visits • Service-connected disabilities • Maternity care • Working women • Mental health needs • 5/8/12 6
The Changing Face of VA • Older women • Largest sub-population • Menopausal needs • Geriatric care • Inpatient/extended stays • Pain management • 5/8/12 7
Women Veterans and VA • More women Veterans using VA care • Those who use VA, use it intensively • More women with service-connected disabilities using VA • 5/8/12 8
Women Veterans and VA • Women have different health care needs than men • Women are eligible for VA health care on par with that delivered to male Veterans • Women are often engaged participants in their health care • 5/8/12 9
It’s everyone’s job to care for women Veterans • 5/8/12 10
RethinkVA • 5/8/12 11
Mission • Ensure all women Veterans receive equitable, high-quality, and comprehensive health care in a sensitive and safe environment at all VA facilities • Be a national leader in the provision of health care for women Veterans, thereby raising the standard of care for all women • 5/8/12 12
Improving the Experience for Women • Implementing comprehensive primary care for women Veterans at all care sites • Training VA providers interested and proficient in Women’s Health (more than 1,200 to date) • Installing full-time Women Veterans Program Managers at all medical centers • Revising and creating VA policy related to women Veterans • Ramping-up communications to and about women Veterans • Enhancing mental health, homeless services • Researching effects of military service on women’s lives • 5/8/12 13
Improving Reproductive Health Services • New and upcoming policies • Maternity Care Coordination • Infertility Policy • Emergency Contraception Rights of Conscience (ROC) • Maternity care • 2010 Caregiver law • Newborn care • Childcare pilots • 5/8/12 14
Women’s Health Education • Recruiting and retraining providers interested and proficient in women’s health • National Women’s Health Mini-Residency Program (live and online) • More than 1,200 Primary Care providers educated in Basic and Advanced Women’s Health Care • Flagship education model for VA • SimLEARN partnership: large mini-residency, ED-WH curriculum, task trainer dissemination • Advanced fellowships in women Veterans’ health • Monthly provider audio-conferences • Co-sponsored 2nd VA Women’s Health Research Conference • 5/8/12 15
Women’s Health Education – Nurses and ED Providers • Monthly audio-conferences for primary care nurses • Some topics include: • Understanding women Veterans • Breast symptoms and mammograms • Contraception • Menopause and hot flashes • Interpersonal violence/assault/Military Sexual Trauma • Cardiovascular disease/chest pain • Women's Health Nursing Mini-Residency Pilot • By invitation, August 2012 • Simulation training using pelvic and breast task trainers • Will shape future training initiatives (in-person and on-line) • Online trainings covering core topics in emergency women’s health • 5/8/12 16
Understanding Women Veterans • National Survey of Women Veterans 2010 • 3,500+ participants through telephone interviews • Findings: access, quality perception, barriers • Next scientific survey of women Veterans: 2012 • More to come • Women Vietnam Veterans Study • Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) Cohort Study • 5/8/12 17
Culture Change • Women Veterans Health Care is leading development of a VA-wide communication plan to enhance the language, practice and culture of VA to be more inclusive of women Veterans • National Women Veterans Communications Workgroup: • Broad representation across VA • Tasked with developing strategies to reach women Veterans and VA employees • 5/8/12 18
Culture Change through Communications • 5/8/12 19
your definition of Veteran Rethink • 5/8/12
Questions? www.womenshealth.va.gov • 5/8/12