Battle for Veterans' Healthcare

Suzanne Gordon

Description

In The Battle for Veterans' Healthcare, award-winning author Suzanne Gordon takes us to the front lines of federal policymaking and healthcare delivery, as it affects eight million Americans whose military service makes them eligible for Veterans Health Administration (VHA) coverage.Gordon's collected dispatches provide insight and information too often missing from mainstream media reporting on the VHA and from Capitol Hill debates about its future. Drawing on interviews with veterans and their families, VHA staff and administrators, health care policy experts and Congressional decision makers, Gordon describes a federal agency under siege that nevertheless accomplishes its difficult mission of serving men and women injured, in myriad ways, while on active duty.The Battle for Veterans' Healthcare is an essential primer on VHA care and a call to action by veterans, their advocacy organizations, and political allies. Without lobbying efforts and broader public understanding of what's at stake, a system now functioning far better than most private hospital systems may end up looking more like them, to the detriment of patients and providers alike.

Sujets

• Médecine
• Veteran

Informations

• Publié par: Cornell University Press
• Date de parution: 04 avril 2017
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781501714573
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

MORE PRAISE FOR THE BATTLE FOR VETERANS’ HEALTHCARE

“Suzanne Gordon has been abe to ook past the sensatîona headînes about the VA to the true chaenges and opportunîtîes or our natîon’s vet- erans. ïn doîng so she reveas the enormous good the VA has done—the înnovatîon, the îves saved, and the promîses kept—whîe acknowedgîng the tough work ahead to ensure that ît uy îves up to îts mîssîon.” —Congressman Beto O’Rourke

“Women Veterans have been et out o the debate about the uture o the VA heath care system. Suzanne Gordon does not make that mîstake. As a woman veteran ï urge you to read thîs împortant book.” —Diane Reppun Bronze Star-OEF, Foundîng member Fîghtîng or Veterans Heath Care, îetîme Member o Dîsabed Amerîcan Veterans

“Suzanne Gordon has rare carîty and însîght înto the mutîpe heath rîsks and probems that veterans ace as a resut o theîr mîîtary servîce. She understands that “veterans heathcare” îs very dîferent rom carîng or cîvîîans în the prîvate sector. The Veterans Heath Admînîstratîon has sensîtîvîty to mîîtary cuture, and specîa expertîse traînîng reevant to the probems veterans experîence throughout theîr îves. Buy thîs book and read ît careuy so you can încrease awareness o what must be done or those men and women who have paced îe and îmb on the îne în de- ense o the Constîtutîon.” —Rick Weidman Executîve Dîrector or Poîcy & Government Afaîrs , Vîetnam Veterans o Amerîca (VVA)

“As a combat veteran who has worked as a psychoogîst în the VA sys- tem or over 28 years, ï have experîenced the extraordînary changes the VHA has undertaken to provîde Veterans wîth some o the best heathcare avaîabe în the US. ï have aso seen how the VA’s dedîcated caregîvers have been attacked and theîr crîtîca work denîgrated în the press and on Capîto Hî. That’s why Suzanne Gordon’s compeîng account o how the Veterans Heath Admînîstratîon reay works coud not be more tîmey. Thîs împortant compîatîon o acts, crîtîca anayses, and poweru argu- ments wî gîve readers a Irm oundatîon or reconsîderîng the true vaue o the VHA to our natîon. Her book provîdes a map or takîng actîon to save and împrove thîs învauabe resource.” —Edgardo PadinRivera served as Chîe o Psychoogy and Coordînator o Menta Heath Ser- vîces, ouîs Stokes Ceveand VA Medîca Center

T H E B AT T L E F O R V E T ER A N S ’ H E A LT H C A R E

THE BATTLE FOR VETERANS’ HEALTHCARE

Dispatches from the Frontlines of Policy Making and Patient Care

SUZ ANNE GORDON

CORNELL PUBLISHING Ithaca

Copyrîght © 2017 Suzanne Gordon

A rîghts reserved. Except or brîe quotatîons în a revîew, thîs book, or parts thereo, must not be reproduced în any orm wîthout permîssîon în wrîtîng rom the pubîsher. For înormatîon, address Corne Unîversîty Press, Sage House, 512 East State Street, ïthaca, New York, 14850.

Fîrst pubîshed 2017 by Corne Pubîshîng, an împrînt o Corne Unî- versîty Press

Prînted în the Unîted States o Amerîca

îbrary o Congress Cataogîng-în-Pubîcatîon Data – to come

FOR

RUSSELL, REBECCA, LOU, AND JUDI

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword by Kenneth W. Kîzer, MD, MPH Preace Sectîon One: The VA and ïts Crîtîcs Chapter 1. How the VHA Works Chapter 2. ïgnorîng the Facts: The Antî-Vet Agenda Chapter 3. The New York Tîmes Waît-Tîme Fîxatîon Chapter 4. Bernîe Sanders and the VHA Chapter 5. Wîth Frîends îke These Chapter 6. What Kînd o Patîent Experîence? Chapter 7. ïn Deense o Art

Sectîon Two: Congress and the Commîssîon Chapter 8. Chaîrman Mîer ïntereres Chapter 9. The Strawman Document Chapter 10. The Commîssîon’s Fîna Report Chapter 11. Not Everyone Heard on Capîto Hî Chapter 12. Conversatîon wîth a Commîssîoner

Sectîon Three: The Unknown Story Chapter 13. How VHA Research Saves îves Chapter 14. Empowerîng Nurses and Provîdîng  Hîgh-Quaîty Patîent Care Chapter 15. Makîng PTSD Treatment More Efectîve Chapter 16. The Braîn at War Chapter 17. Suîcîde by Gun Chapter 18. Mînduness at Fort Mîey Epîogue: Trump and the VHA Appendîx A Notes

16 20 20 30 34 41 44 46 48

51 52 54 56 60 62

71 71

73 75 79 82 85 90 101 112