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Veteran community care: Ensuring community care plays a vital role within the VA health system
Concerns about veterans getting access to quality healthcare in a timely fashion led to the Veterans Choice Act in 2014 followed by the VA MISSION Act in 2019. These programs provide veterans with the opportunity to receive healthcare in the…
Caring for the veteran, training the surgeon: The role of the VA in vascular surgery training
In May 1945, President Harry Truman appointed Gen. Omar Bradley to lead what is now the United States Department of Veteran Affairs, with Paul Howley, MD, as chief medical director and orthopedic surgeon Paul Magnuson, MD, as his aide.1,2 Colloquially,…
Lessons in PAD care from VA vascular surgeons
The care of patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is challenging and costly. Every practicing vascular surgeon knows that when patients present with ulcerations, infection, ischemia and comorbidities, we can accomplish amazing things. In an ideal world, our approaches universally…
Higher frailty scores linked to increased postoperative complications and mortality in veterans undergoing EVAR for AAA
Higher frailty scores were associated with higher rates of postoperative complications and mortality among a national cohort of veteran patients who underwent endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) or dissection. This was one of the findings…
Target 2021: SVS councils and committees drill down on key goals for year ahead (Part 4)
While there is little doubt the pandemic has impacted each vascular surgeon and the SVS as a Society in numerous ways, the commitment and dedication of SVS committee, council and task force members to deliver on the mission has remained…
Study identifies new genetic factors associated with AAA risk
The American Heart Association (AHA) recently announced the publication of a study identifying 14 new genes linked to an increased risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Previous studies have detected 10 locations in the human genome associated with potential AAA…
‘There is no perfect job’: Benefits of working across VA system outlined by current practitioners
Many believe the adage, “There is no perfect job.” If your list of “musts” for a career in vascular surgery includes working with a completely unique patient population with unparalleled opportunities for career development, the VA (Department of Veterans Affairs)…