Caring for Women Veterans Lisa Roybal Women Veterans Program Manager VA Loma Linda Healthcare System Primary Author : Patricia M. Hayes, Ph.D Women Veterans

Caring for Women VeteransLisa Roybal

Women Veterans Program ManagerVA Loma Linda Healthcare System

Primary Author : Patricia M. Hayes, Ph.DWomen Veterans Health Strategic Health Care GroupOffice of Patient Care Services, Veterans Health AdministrationDepartment of Veterans Affairs

VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

Rethink Veterans

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Women Veteran Population Increasing, Total Vet Population Declining

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Source: VetPOP, VA Office of Policy and Planning

http://www.va.gov/VETDATA/Demographics/Demographics.asp


Women VA Users Doubled Since 2000

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2000

2011

159,000337,000

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).


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

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The Changing Face of VA

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– Young women– Frequent visits– Service-connected disabilities– Maternity care– Working women– Mental health needs

http://vaww.vha.vaco.portal.va.gov/sites/PublicHealth/womenvets/Women%20Veterans%20Images/hires_20081125.jpg


– Older women– Largest sub-population– Menopausal needs– Geriatric care– Inpatient/extended stays– Pain management

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The Changing Face of VA


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

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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

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It’s everyone’s job to care for women Veterans

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Rethink VA

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Culture Change through Communications

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your definition of Veteran

Rethink

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Questions?

www.womenshealth.va.gov

http://www.womenshealth.va.gov/

Documents

Caring for Women Veterans Lisa Roybal Women Veterans Program Manager VA Loma Linda Healthcare System Primary Author : Patricia M. Hayes, Ph.D Women Veterans