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April 2008
Message from the Acting Network Director
 As you know, VA New England is navigating a leadership transition with the retirement of our Network Director – Dr. Jeannette Chirico-Post. Dr. Post has left a legacy of leadership and achieved many accomplishments during her eight years as Network Director. I am pleased and honored to have been asked to assume the role of Acting Network Director until a new Network Director is appointed.
During this transition let us continue to work together as an integrated health care delivery system to provide high quality, comprehensive care in a compassionate manner to the veterans of New England. Working together we can ensure that we are meeting the changing needs of our veteran population and provide them with the best health care available anywhere.
As we approached the midpoint of our fiscal year, it is a good time to remind all staff of the strategic goals identified for VA New England for fiscal year 2008.
- Improve Employee Retention and Succession Planning
- Explore Alternative Levels of Care and Case Management
- Coordinate Information Technology Support Needed to Meet Goals
- Better Understand Rural Health Needs
The efforts of all staff are necessary to accomplish these goals – so ask yourself – "What is my role in reaching our Network’s strategic goals?"
I am very proud of the fine work being done in all of our VA New England facilities. I welcome your comments and innovative suggestions for how we can continue to provide the highest quality health care for the veterans we serve. Thank you for all that you do everyday for our Nation's veterans. I really appreciate your hard work and dedication.
Sincerely,
Tammy A. Follensbee
Acting Network Director
Chairman, House Veterans Affairs Committee Visits Manchester VAMC
 On March 10, 2008, Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, D-N.H., and Rep. Paul Hodes, D-N.H., visited Manchester VA Medical Center. During the visit they toured the medical center and met with Marc F. Levenson, MD, director, Manchester VAMC, to discuss veterans’ access to VA health care in New Hampshire, especially acute inpatient services, and opportunities for improvement.
(Rep. Hodes, Rep. Shea-Porter, Dr. Levenson, Rep. Filner)
The representatives then met with the New Hampshire State Legislative Veterans Task Force at the State House in Concord, N.H.
Bedford VAMC and University of Massachusetts
Sign Academic Affiliation Agreement
 On March 18, 2008, a ceremony was held to recognize the signing of an academic affiliation agreement between Bedford VAMC and the University of Massachusetts Medical School. The agreement will enhance medical education for future health care providers, further important research and improve patient care.
On hand for the signing ceremony were (seated, left to right) Dr. Jeannette Chirico-Post, former network director, VISN 1; Dr. Michael Collins, chancellor, University of Massachusetts; George Poulin, acting director, Bedford VAMC; (standing, left to right) Congressmen John Tierney and James McGovern.
University of Massachusetts Medical School faculty will partner with staff of the Bedford VAMC to provide enhanced opportunities for joint research as well as for training psychology fellows in PTSD, addiction medicine, homelessness, geriatric depression and primary care/mental health integration.
VISN 1 ECF Candidate Graduates
 On March 13, 2008, Margaret (Peg) Owens, chief of nutrition and food services, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, was one the many graduates of the VHA Executive Career Field (ECF) Candidate Development Program. The graduation was held at the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Congress in Chicago. The ECF Candidate Development Program is a two-year training program offered by VHA as a key part of its succession planning efforts.
Tammy Follensbee (right), acting network director, congratulates Margaret Owens, ECF graduate.
VA Creates "Travel Nurse Program"
To deal with a nationwide shortage of nurses and to improve the quality of care for veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has created a "Travel Nurse Corps" to enable VA nurses to travel and work throughout the Department’s medical system.
The Travel Nurse Corps, headquartered at the Phoenix VA Health Care System, is beginning as a three-year pilot program. Initially, it will place as many as 75 nurses at VA medical centers across the country. The goals of the program are to improve recruitment, decrease turnover of experienced nurses and maintain high standards of patient care.
Those who become VA travel nurses are compensated for their time on duty and their travel. They also receive standard government per diem allowances, which include lodging, meals and incidentals.
To learn more about VA’s Travel Nurse Corps, visit the Web site at www.travelnurse.va.gov.
MIRECC Research
Vet-to-Vet Peer Program Benefits Severely Mentally Ill Veterans
VISN 1 MIRECC researchers have demonstrated that a Vet-to-Vet peer support program boosts empowerment, confidence and general functioning for severely mentally ill (SMI) veterans participating in an outpatient VA Community Reintegration Program. In 2002, the Errera Community Care Center of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System partnered with Moe Armstrong, a combat veteran with schizophrenia, to implement a new peer education program. All meetings are entirely peer-led and meet 5 days per week on VA premises, following a "read and discuss" format using a series of recovery-oriented publications.
MIRECC researchers Sandra Resnick and Robert Rosenheck evaluated the impact of this program by comparing treatment results for participants in the Vet-to-Vet program with the same ratings made on a group of Errera Center participants who were in the program before Vet-to-Vet became available. The standard Errera program services include a wide range of professionally delivered services including crisis management and long term rehabilitation services such as supported employment. Vets who participated in the voluntary additional peer-led Vet-to-Vet program reported higher levels of general functioning, greater feelings of empowerment, higher confidence levels and less alcohol use than those who did not have the opportunity to participate prior to the program onset.
This formal program evaluation is one of only a handful of such studies and supports the model of integrating peer-support services and professional treatment in the same professional setting.
News Around the Network
Bedford VAMC - On Feb. 26, the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care conducted a site visit of the Animal Research Facility at Bedford VAMC. The delegates, who are veterinarians, reviewed occupational health aspects, animal food storage and interviewed lab staff. The delegates will recommend full accreditation (three years) of the program.
VA Boston HCS - During the week of March 10–14, the Office of Inspector General conducted a Combined Assessment Program review at VA Boston HCS to assess selected clinical and administrative operations and conduct a "Fraud and Integrity Awareness" informational program.
VA Connecticut HCS - On March 11, VA Connecticut HCS hosted a Women’s History Month celebration at the West Haven campus. Speakers included VA Connecticut HCS staff members Margaret Veazey, MSN, director of patient care services, and Linda Godleski, MD, associate chief of staff for education.
Manchester VAMC - On March 4-6, a Certification and Accreditation Team conducted a review of the Manchester VAMC information systems to include desktop computers. The purpose of this visit was to assess compliance with security practices and requirements.
Northampton VAMC - On March 4, a team from the College of American Pathologists conducted a biennial survey of the Laboratory Program at Northampton VAMC. The surveyors were extremely complimentary of Northampton staff.
Providence VAMC - On Feb. 29, the Cape Cod community celebrated the grand opening of the new Hyannis Vet Center. Attending the celebration were Senator John Kerry; Representative William Delahunt; Timothy Beebe, Readjustment Counseling Service; local state legislators; and Vincent Ng, director, Providence VAMC.
In other news...Providence VAMC will host a Military Liaison Officer for the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC). The USMC is in the process of standing up Wounded Warrior Regiment District Injured Support Cells (DISCs) around the country. The DISCs will assist Marines, Marine veterans, and their families in reintegrating back into civilian life.
Togus VAMC - On March 17, Senator Olympia Snowe visited Togus VAMC and met with Togus VHA/VBA leadership. Senator Snowe was briefed on Togus operations and given a tour of the Togus hospital where she met with veterans and their families.
White River Junction VAMC - With the completion of the Operating Room HVAC replacement / improvement project, White River Junction VAMC Surgical Service has returned to their permanent operating room suite. For the past three months, surgery has been performed utilizing two mobile operating rooms. Surgical Service resumed a fully operating surgery schedule the week of March 17.
Congratulations
Bruce Bennett, MHS, PA-C, inpatient PTSD treatment program, and Theodore J. Olejnik, LICSW, LADC-I, suicide prevention coordinator, both from Northampton VAMC, spoke at the conference, "TBI and PTSD: How to Help Veterans and their Families Confront the Healthcare Challenges." The program held on March 8 was organized by Baystate Medical Center, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and the Veterans Education Project.
Gaurav Choudhary, MD, assistant professor of medicine and staff cardiologist, Providence VAMC, was awarded an Actelion Pharmaceuticals Young Investigator Award to study the "Role of Endothelin-Induced PKC delta Activation in Right Ventricular Hypertrophy."
Joan Clifford, RN, deputy chief nurse, VA Boston HCS, won the Professional Nurse Award for Leadership by the Nurses Organization for Veterans Affairs (NOVA). The award will be presented at the NOVA Convention on April 11.
Jim Doherty, public affairs officer, Togus VAMC, conducted an hour long interview for the "Veterans Today" program on the Biddeford, Maine, local access channel. The interview included information on VA services and was broadcast throughout the month of March.
Joseph Kelly, volunteer, VA Boston HCS, was selected as national VA Voluntary Service (VAVS) volunteer of the year. Mr. Kelly assists in the development of the Boston VA volunteer newsletter, "Volunteering - The News." The award will be presented in Orlando, Fla., at the April VAVS National Advisory Committee meeting.
John Krystal, MD, head of alcohol research at VA Connecticut HCS and professor of psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine, was interviewed for an article in the Hartford Courant. The article, titled "Spotting the potential addict," ran in the March 3 issue. Dr. Krystal discussed the use of imaging studies in alcohol research.
Qing Lu, DVM, PhD, assistant professor of medicine (Research), Providence VAMC, was awarded a three-year research grant from the American Thoracic Society/Pulmonary Hypertension Association to study "TGF-beta1 and Pulmonary Artery Hypertension."
Paul Redmond, MA, MSW, supervisory social worker, Manchester VAMC, taped a half hour session for the program "In My Opinion," a weekly talk show on Manchester Community Access Media, TV-23. Mr. Redmond discussed the Manchester VA Palliative Care program.
Chiragi Shah, administrative fellow, VA Boston HCS, won third place in the Annual Graduate Healthcare Administration Training Program (GHATP) Fellow/Resident Poster Competition. The poster was titled "Program Evaluation of Nurse Practitioners on an Inpatient Medicine Service."
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