VA Health Care Research Articles

Examining the impact of the veterans affairs community care program on mental healthcare in rural veterans: A qualitative study.

To investigate provider and administrators' perspectives about the impact of the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Community Care program on acute and residential mental health treatment of rural Veterans. Primary data were collected from participants via interviews. Participants were employees of VA Healthcare Systems located in Northern New England, or employees of non-VA mental health treatment settings affiliated with VA in Northern New England. This study was informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), with Community Care as the implemented program. Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted. Individual interviews were transcribed, coded deductively using the CFIR, and inductively coded by locating themes. Twenty-one people completed interviews. Commonly reported challenges included community programs not focused on Veterans' needs, poor coordination of care, communication challenges, and problems tracking Veteran care. Facilitators included increased access to care and strengthening coordination of care. The VA's Community Care program can address the acute or residential mental health needs of Veterans in rural settings in some circumstances, however there are challenges to successful implementation.

Synopsis of the 2023 U.S. Department of VA and U.S. DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Pregnancy.

This Clinical Practical Guideline provides recommendations based on a systematic review of the evidence to address critical decision points in the management of pregnancy. The guideline is intended to improve patient outcomes and local management of patients who are pregnant. This CPG is based on a systematic review of both clinical and epidemiological evidence and was developed by a panel of multidisciplinary experts. The Work Group provides clear and comprehensive evidence-based recommendations incorporating current information and practices targeting practitioners throughout the DoD and VA Health Care systems. The guideline is intended to improve patient outcomes and local management of patients who are pregnant. This CPG does not address every aspect of routine pregnancy care and is not intended to be a comprehensive guide to all care needed in pregnancy. It also addresses some clinically important and generally accepted standards of pregnancy care interventions that do not have sufficient high-quality evidence to support standalone recommendations. Additionally, it highlights emerging topics that have the potential to impact pregnancy care in the future and identifies gaps in the literature that warrant further research. The development of all VA/DoD guidelines is directed by the Evidence-Based Practice Guideline Work Group and adheres to the standards for trustworthy guidelines that were set by the National Academy of Medicine. A patient focus group was convened to assess important aspects of treatment for patients and to gain information about patient values and preferences. The Lewin Group, a contracted third party with expertise in CPG development, facilitated meetings and the development of key questions using the population, intervention, comparison, outcome, timing, and setting format. Consensus was achieved among the Work Group through an iterative process involving discussions on conference calls and in person during the recommendation development meeting. An independent third party, ECRI, conducted the systematic evidence review, which the guideline Work Group then used to develop recommendations using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system (7-9). The search methods and results are detailed in the full guideline. This CPG provides 28 clinical practice recommendations that cover selected topics that the Work Group deemed had high priority need for evidence-based standards. The recommendations are divided into 3 main categories: routine care, complicated obstetrics, and mental health. An algorithm delineating recommended interventions and appropriate timing of these interventions over the course of the pregnancy and postpartum period was also created. The CPG is not intended to define standards of care nor address all care needed in pregnancy; it does provide comprehensive guidance for routine pregnancy care. It aligns with the VA and DOD's goal of providing care that is consistent in quality and utilization of resources in efforts to reduce errors and inappropriate variations in practices. In total, the Work Group identified 71 items needing further study, including areas requiring stronger evidence to support current recommendations and newer topics that will guide future guideline development.

Comparing Pain Outcomes and Treatment Adherence Between In-Person and Virtual Interdisciplinary Pain Rehabilitation Programs at the San Francisco VA Health Care System.

This study compares clinical pain outcomes between patients in a pain treatment program that was conducted in-person, compared to a virtual program. In-Person (N=127) and Virtual (N=101) pain treatment programs were compared based on patient-reported, practitioner-collected, and medical record data. The patients were measured at baseline and post treatment (week 12 for In-Person and week 8 for Virtual patients). We employed last observation carried forward (LOCF) to handle missing data. Both the In-Person and Virtual groups were similar in regard to all baseline outcomes, except the In-Person group having significantly more co-morbidities at baseline, with particularly more cases of mental, behavioral, or neurodevelopmental diseases. Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in the pain-related measurements of pain interference and pain catastrophizing thoughts, but neither group displayed a change in average pain across treatment. Further, both groups improved significantly on emotional well-being scores, but not on physical functioning scores. No significant differences existed between groups on outcomes, except for pain catastrophizing, which was higher in the Virtual group at both time points. The Virtual group had lower rates of dropouts compared to In-Person, while the In-Person group had a larger proportion reach a clinically meaningful change in pain-related outcomes, defined as a >30% improvement. While some changes were unique to the In-Person program, overall, patients in the Virtual program achieved similar treatment outcomes, suggesting that it can successfully treat Veterans seeking pain management, with less need for in-person facilities for both patients and clinicians.

Escalation to Biologics After Methotrexate Among US Veterans with Rheumatoid Arthritis Grouped by Rural Versus Urban Areas.

Racial and ethnic disparities in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) outcomes are well recognized. However, whether disparities in RA treatment selection and outcomes differ by urban versus rural residence, independent of race, have not been studied. Our objective was to evaluate whether biologic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARD) initiation after methotrexate use differs by rural versus urban residence among Veterans with RA. In this retrospective cohort study utilizing national U.S. Veterans Affairs databases, we identified adult patients with RA based on presence of diagnostic codes and DMARD use. We included patients receiving an initial prescription of methotrexate (index date) between 2005 and 2014, with data through 2016 used for follow-up. Urban-rural status was categorized using the Veteran Health Administration's Urban/Rural classification. Our primary outcome of interest was time to biologic initiation within two years of starting methotrexate. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were conducted adjusting for demographics, comorbidities, and rheumatoid factor or anti-CCP positivity. Among 17,395 veterans with RA (88% male, 42% with rural residence) fulfilling eligibility criteria, 3,259 (19%) initiated a biologic within the first two years of follow up. In multivariable models, residence in an urban area was associated with a statistically significant higher biologic use compared to rural areas (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.10, 95% CI 1.02-1.18). Our study found only modest differences in initiation of biologic therapies among rural versus urban residing Veterans with RA in the VA healthcare system. These findings suggest that disparities are not easily explained by rurality within the VA healthcare system.

Oncogenic Alterations, Race, and Survival in US Veterans with Metastatic Prostate Cancer Undergoing Somatic Tumor Next Generation Sequencing.

National guidelines recommend next generation sequencing (NGS) of tumors in patients diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa) to identify potential actionable alterations. We sought to describe the spectrum and frequency of alterations in PCa-related genes and pathways, as well as associations with self-identified race/ethnicity, and overall survival in US Veterans. This retrospective cohort study included Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and Non-Hispanic white (NHW) Veterans with mPCa who obtained NGS through the Veterans Affairs National Precision Oncology Program. 45 genes in seven canonical or targetable mPCa pathways were evaluated in addition to TMB and MSI status. Multivariable logistic regression evaluated associations between race/ethnicity and genomic alteration frequencies. Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine associations between race/ethnicity, specific gene/pathway alteration, and overall survival. 5,015 Veterans with mPCa who had NGS conducted were included (1,784 NHB, 3,231 NHW). NHB Veterans were younger, had higher PSA at diagnosis, were less likely to report Agent Orange exposure, and resided in more deprived neighborhoods compared to NHW Veterans. Nine of the top ten most commonly altered genes were the same in NHB v NHW Veterans; however, the frequencies of alterations varied by race/ethnicity. NHB race/ethnicity was associated with higher odds of genomic alterations in SPOP (OR 1.7 [1.2-2.6]) as well as immunotherapy targets (OR 1.7 [1.1-2.7]) including MSI high status (OR 3.1 [1.1-9.4]). Furthermore, NHB race/ethnicity was significantly associated with lower odds of genomic alterations in the AKT/PI3K pathway (OR 0.6 [0.4-0.7]), AR axis (OR 0.7 [0.5-0.9]), and tumor suppressor genes (OR 0.7 [0.5-0.8]). Cox proportional hazards modelling stratified by race/ethnicity demonstrated alterations in tumor suppressor genes including TP53 were associated with shorter OS in both NHB (HR 1.54 [1.13-2.11] and NHW individuals (HR 1.52 [1.25-1.85]). In the equal access VA healthcare setting, Veterans undergoing NGS for mPCa exhibited differences in alteration frequencies in both actionable and non-actionable pathways that may be associated with survival. This analysis affirms the utility of genomic testing for identifying candidates irrespective of race/ethnicity for precision oncology treatments, which could contribute to equitable outcomes in patients with mPCa.

When does annual geriatric hip fracture mortality revert to baseline?

Geriatric hip fracture patients exhibit high mortality post-injury. It's unclear if and when mortality reverts to baseline. We therefore ask, When, if ever, does the mortality rate of geriatric hip fracture revert to the population-wide baseline rate? How does the mortality rate after geriatric hip fracture compare to the population norms? Understanding this timeline is crucial for assessing disease burden and guiding treatment plans. A cohort of 17,868 male patients aged 65-89 years treated for hip fracture within the VA healthcare system was studied. Patients were grouped by age at the time of fracture, and age-specific fractional survival was assessed annually for 10 years. For a comparison control group, a virtual cohort of 17,868 individuals, mirroring the age distribution of the patient group, was created and reduced over 10 cycles according to Social Security Administration expected mortality statistics. The year-one mortality rate among fracture patients was 35.4%, compared to 6.3% in age-matched controls. By year ten, only 8.5% of the fracture patients remained alive, vs. 39.8% in the general population. The annual risk of dying for patients who survived past the first year was consistently in the range 19%-21% for all subsequent years. Hip fracture patients who survive the initial injury are still subject to annual mortality risk of approximately 20%, an elevation above population norms persisting for at least a decade. The data underscores the severity of geriatric hip fractures, and suggest that focusing one- or two-year survival rates may not fully capture the severity of the injury.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Rates Among U.S. Military Veteran Females and Males and Non-Veterans in the National Health Interview Survey.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a major risk factor for the development of multiple cancers. Active duty service members have higher rates of HPV infection than civilians, while Veterans are diagnosed with a disproportionately high burden of HPV-associated cancers compared to civilians without prior service. While a highly effective HPV vaccine has been available for over a decade, vaccination rates in the United States remain suboptimal. The objective of this study was to investigate HPV vaccination rates among male and female Veterans compared with their non-Veteran counterparts. We performed a secondary analysis of cross-sectional National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data pooled from 2015 to 2018 to analyze HPV vaccination rates for respondents aged 18-45 years. We used multivariable logistic regression to compare HPV vaccination rates between Veterans and non-Veterans stratified by sex while controlling for sociodemographic factors, including age, race/ethnicity, education level, income, insurance coverage, and VA coverage. All analyses used NHIS survey weights to produce national estimates. Among 45,493 respondents aged 18 to 45 years, vaccination rates were low across all groups: 9.6% of male Veterans and 8.4% of male non-Veterans (P = .21) had received at least one HPV immunization, whereas 32.0% of female Veterans and 25.1% of female non-Veterans (P = .02) were immunized. After controlling for sociodemographics, both male Veterans (AOR 1.79; 95%CI 1.31, 2.44) and female Veterans (AOR 1.56; 95%CI 1.1, 2.21) exhibited higher odds of HPV vaccination compared to their non-Veteran counterparts. VA coverage was also independently associated with higher odds of HPV vaccination among female Veterans (AOR 2.39; 95%CI 1.10, 5.21). Veterans of both sexes are more likely to be vaccinated than their non-Veteran civilian counterparts. However, vaccination rates overall remain low. To our knowledge, ours is the first study of its kind to establish HPV vaccination rates among female Veterans. These findings underscore the important role of DoD and VA health care systems in improving HPV vaccine uptake and mitigating HPV-associated cancer risk among Veterans.

8425 Cancer Risk in Transgender Veterans Undergoing Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy in a Single Medical Center

Abstract Disclosure: A. Vanasco: None. A. Chitnavis: None. K.L. Vinales: None. R.R. Correa: None. Background: The risk of cancer in the transgender patients while on Gender Affirming Therapy is still a source of safety concern among healthcare professionals. We aimed to assess the cancer incidence and potential risk factors in this population. Methods: An initial cohort of 428 charts within the Phoenix VA Healthcare System from January 1990 through October 2023 were identified using ICD codes consistent with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria. From this initial cohort, we completed a chart review of 94 patients who received GAHT through the endocrinology department. The collected information included type of cancer diagnosis, self-reported GAHT start date if not at the Phoenix VA, and risk factors for cancer (HPV, HIV, smoking history) along with recommended cancer screening, like latest mammogram, pap smear, and colonoscopy. Results: We identified 67 transgender women and 27 transgender men, 53.8± 16.0 and 43.8 years ± 12.6 years-old, with an average of 10 years of GAHT (10.1±7.4 years for estradiol therapy and 10.2±4.4 years for testosterone therapy, range 0.5-44 years of use). Cancer was diagnosed in 18 (27.7%) transgender women, including 8 skin, 3 lung, 2 prostate, 2 tongue, 1 thyroid, 1 musculoskeletal, 1 sinus, 1 bladder cancer. Among our transgender women, 37% were current and 33% were prior smokers. Two (3.0%) were HPV positive and both had cancer diagnoses, while two (3.0%) were HIV positive and neither had a cancer diagnosis. 19 (28.4%) underwent colonoscopies with benign results and 48 (71.6%) were untested. 21 (31.3%) underwent mammograms with benign findings, 1 (1.5%) had a mastectomy and reconstruction, and 45 (67.2%) were untested. Cancer was diagnosed in 3 (10.3%) transgender men, and included 2 skin, 1 breast, 1 cervical cancer. 4 (14.8%) were HPV positive, none of which had cancer. Forty percent of the transgender men were active smokers and an additional 30% were prior smokers. None were HIV positive. 8 (29.6%) underwent colonoscopy, 7 of which were benign and 1 pending results, and 19 (70.1%) were untested. Three (11.1%) underwent mammograms with benign findings, 16 (59.3%) had bilateral mastectomies, and 8 (29.6%) were untested. Eleven (40.7%) had pap smears with 10 benign findings and 1 ASCUS, 11 (40.7%) had hysterectomies, and 5 (18.5%) were untested. Conclusion: Our study sheds light on cancer incidence in transgender veterans undergoing GAHT. Incidence of cancer was higher in transgender women than transgender men, and the leading type of cancer for both groups was of the skin, not considered a GAHT risk. Significant numbers of both transgender men and women did not receive recommended health screenings, highlighting the need for improved education of screening importance. Presentation: 6/2/2024

S566 Patriot Clinic Proton-Pump Inhibitor Review and Therapy De-Escalation (PCP-PIRATE) at the Orlando VA Healthcare System

S566 Patriot Clinic Proton-Pump Inhibitor Review and Therapy De-Escalation (PCP-PIRATE) at the Orlando VA Healthcare System

S906 Wide Variability in Anesthesia Utilization for GI Endoscopic Procedures in the VA Healthcare System

S906 Wide Variability in Anesthesia Utilization for GI Endoscopic Procedures in the VA Healthcare System

Sexual orientation moderates the association between health care utilization-related factors and mental health service nonutilization among United States military veterans.

This study examined mental health treatment nonutilization among sexual minority versus heterosexual Veterans with demonstrated psychiatric need. Data were analyzed from 820 Veterans with psychiatric need who participated in the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, which surveyed a nationally representative sample of U.S. military Veterans. Results revealed that current mental health service nonutilization did not differ between sexual minority versus heterosexual Veterans (70.5% vs. 74.0%). Significant interactions between sexual orientation and sex assigned at birth, primary source of health care (Veteran Affairs [VA] vs. non-VA), and beliefs that peers would blame them for their mental health problems were observed in analyses predicting current mental health treatment utilization. Among Veterans primarily utilizing VA health care, sexual minority Veterans were less likely than heterosexual Veterans to engage in mental treatment; among those primarily using non-VA, this pattern was reversed. Sexual minority Veterans were significantly more likely than heterosexual Veterans to report not knowing where to get help, not having adequate transportation, and having difficulty scheduling an appointment. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that rates of mental health nonutilization are high for both sexual minority and heterosexual Veterans, and that factors that influence utilization may differ by sexual orientation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Nurse-Supported Self-Directed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTi) is the standard of care for treating insomnia disorder, but access is limited. Alternative approaches are needed to expand access to the standard of care. To examine the effectiveness of a nurse-supported, self-directed behavioral insomnia intervention for decreasing insomnia severity and improving sleep outcomes among veterans, a population with considerable mental health comorbidity. This randomized clinical trial included 178 patients with insomnia disorder who were recruited from a Veterans Affairs hospital (Durham VA Healthcare System) from September 2019 to April 2022 and randomized following baseline assessment; follow-ups were conducted at 8 weeks (primary end point) and 6 months. Data analysis was primarily conducted during the summer of 2023 and concluded in May 2024. Six weekly phone calls from a nurse interventionist plus assigned treatment manual readings covering CBTi treatment components. The health education manual focused on health topics but not sleep. The primary outcome was the Insomnia Severity Index (score range, 0-28; remission <8; differential improvement of 3 points targeted) score assessed at 8 weeks postrandomization. Secondary outcomes were sleep outcomes, depression, fatigue, treatment response, and remission. Of 178 study participants, the mean (SD) age was 55.1 (13.2) years, and 128 (71.9%) identified as men. At 8 weeks, Insomnia Severity Index scores decreased by an estimated mean (SE) of 5.7 (0.51) points in the intervention group and 2.0 (0.47) points in the control group, a differential mean improvement of 3.7 points (95% CI, -5.0 to -2.4; P < .001). Differences were sustained at 6 months (mean, -2.8; 95% CI, -4.4 to -1.3; P < .001). The intervention also resulted in greater improvements at 8 weeks postrandomization in diary sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset, and sleep efficiency and actigraphy sleep efficiency; these differences were sustained at 6 months. At 8 weeks, depression and fatigue were significantly reduced, and the odds of treatment response and remission were greater in the intervention group compared with controls. This randomized clinical trial found that despite greater prevalence of mental health conditions and sleep difficulties among veterans, a nurse-supported self-directed CBTi was more effective than health education control for reducing insomnia severity and improving sleep outcomes. Although less effective than therapist-delivered CBTi, findings were comparable with other trials using modified CBTi protocols. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03727438.

Prostate Specific Antigen and Prostate Cancer in Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy for Transgender or Nonbinary Individuals.

The effects of gender affirming hormone therapy on prostate specific antigen (PSA) and prostate cancer incidence in transgender or non-binary individuals (TGNB) born with prostate glands remains uncharacterized. The cohort included 1,024 self-identified TGNB individuals assigned male at birth who received PSA testing in the VA Healthcare System, matched by birth year to cisgender men. PSA changes were measuring using linear-mixed effects modeling accounting for repeated measured and matching. Non-gonadotrophin releasing hormone agonist or antagonist (GnRH) therapy was associated with 1.30 ng/mL lower PSA (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.14-1.46, p < 0.001) and GnRH therapy was associated with 1.08 ng/mL lower PSA (95% CI 0.60-1.55, p < 0.001) compared with cisgender men. Among 450 TGNB individuals who had PSA testing before and after initiation of hormone therapy, non-GnRH and GnRH therapies resulted in 0.49 ng/mL decrease (95% CI 0.35-0.62, p<0.001) and 0.73 ng/mL decrease (95% CI 0.43-1.02, p<0.001), respectively, from median baseline of 0.70 ng/mL. From time of age 50, TGNB prostate cancer incidence was 1.79 per 1,000 patient-years versus 4.02 per 1,000 patient-years in cisgender men. Gender affirming hormone therapies are associated with significant decreases in PSA, and TGNB individuals assigned male at birth remain at risk for prostate cancer. Future work should establish if a lower threshold for biopsy should be used in these contexts and if the decreased incidence is a result of ascertainment bias or hormone therapy resulting in a true decrease in the incidence of prostate cancer.

Smoking and 10-year risk of cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular events after contemporary coronary stenting

The impact of smoking cessation on long-term clinical outcomes after contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is not well known. We estimated the association of smoking and smoking cessation on the 10-year risk of cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular events in patients after contemporary PCI in a multicenter retrospective cohort of all patients having PCI with second generation drug-eluting stents in the VA Healthcare System between 2008 and 2016. Smoking status, comorbidities and clinical outcomes were extracted from the medical record and the National Death Index. Hazard ratios and 95 % confidence intervals (HR, 95 %CI) were derived from Cox Proportional Hazards Models. Estimates of events prevented from smoking cessation were derived from the differences in absolute risks between subjects who smoked and had stopped smoking. Among 29,001 patients, 10,598 (36.5 %) were current smoking patients, 13,093 (45.1 %) were former smoking patients, and 5,310 (18.3 %) never smoked. Over 10 years, 7,806 (26.9 %) subjects died with non-cardiovascular deaths exceeding cardiovascular deaths. In multivariable models, current smoking was significantly associated with increased long-term risks of all-cause death (HR = 1.27, 95 %CI = 1.19, 1.36), myocardial infarction (HR = 1.32, 95 %CI = 1.21–1.43), cancer death (HR = 2.55, 95 % CI = 2.10, 3.08), and pulmonary death (HR = 4.07, 95 % CI = 2.85, 5.83). Smoking cessation may prevent 18.5 % (95 %CI = 16.0 %, 20.9 %) all-cause deaths, 14.8 % (95 %CI = 9.8 %, 19.6 %) cardiovascular deaths, 42.6 % (95 %CI = 37.7 %, 47.2 %) cancer deaths, and 48.3 % (95 %CI = 41.8 %, 54.2 %) pulmonary deaths among smokers. Stopping smoking will likely have major impacts on non-cardiovascular events as well as cardiovascular events in patients after PCI with second generation drug-eluting stents.

Impact of a Delirium Protocol on Deliriogenic Medication Use in Hospitalized Older Veterans.

Background The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS) implemented a delirium prevention and treatment protocol in 2019. Objective The primary objective of this study was to determine if the implementation of a delirium protocol influenced deliriogenic medication use in hospitalized geriatric veterans. The secondary objectives were to compare the rates of delirium diagnosis, hospital length-of-stay, and rates of newly started deliriogenic medications during admission pre- and post-protocol. Methods This study was a retrospective, secondary data analysis study. Veterans 65 years of age and older who were admitted to an inpatient medical ward at the SAVAHCS for 24 hours or more between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018 (pre-protocol) or January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021 (post-protocol) were included. Patients were excluded if they had a diagnosis of alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal upon admission. Results A total of 5491 patients were included in this study; 2940 (53.5%) in the pre-protocol group and 2551 (46.5%) in the post-protocol group. Patients received at least one deliriogenic medication during their admission in the post-protocol group (36.2%) compared with the pre-protocol group (34.1%), but there was no statistically significant difference (P = 0.098). There were also no significant differences in the rates of documentation of delirium as a diagnosis at discharge, hospital length-of-stay, or the rates of newly started deliriogenic medications during admission between the groups. Conclusion Implementation of a delirium prevention and treatment protocol at the SAVAHCS did not significantly impact the use of deliriogenic medications in hospitalized geriatric veterans.

Caregiver-specific quality measures for home- and community-based services: Environmental scan and stakeholder priorities.

Although family caregivers are increasingly recognized for their essential role in helping vulnerable adults live in the community for as long as possible, their priorities and perspectives have not been well-integrated into quality assessments of home- and community-based services (HCBS). Our overall goal was to identify measurement gaps to guide monitoring and improve HCBS. Caregiver-specific measurement priorities were identified during a multi-level stakeholder engagement process that included 34 Veterans, 24 caregivers, and 39 facility leaders, clinicians, and staff across four VA healthcare systems. We mapped items from national quality measure sets for HCBS identified during an environmental scan onto the stakeholder-identified measurement priorities. Only 5 of 11 non-VA measure sets and three of four VA measure sets explicitly included caregiver-specific items that were aligned with or relevant to stakeholders' measurement priorities. Six of 14 stakeholder-identified priorities were not reflected in any measure sets, such as those that explicitly assess caregiver-reported experience with services that directly or indirectly support their role as caregivers within HCBS. Although family caregivers fulfill a critical role in helping adults with complex medical needs live independently for as long as possible, their priorities and perspectives have not been well-integrated into quality assessments of HCBS. Measures that acknowledge caregivers' roles and incorporate their priorities can help healthcare systems to better monitor and improve HCBS quality, thereby enabling Veterans to remain in the community as long as possible.

Socioeconomic Status Based on Area Deprivation Index Does Not Affect Postoperative Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair in the VA Health-Care System

Living conditions and socioeconomic status are known to impact individual health and access to medical care. Prior research has validated the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) tool as a measure of socioeconomic disadvantage for a given locality. Living in a neighborhood with a higher ADI score has been associated with increased rates of hospital readmission due to complications following surgery. We set forth to identify the possible associations between a patient's ADI score and post-operative endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) outcomes in the Veterans Health Care Administration (VHA). We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of patients who underwent EVAR from January 2010 to December 2021 at a Level 1A VHA Hospital. Patient demographics and intra-operative variables were obtained. ADI score was calculated based on home addresses and resulted in a local score on a scale of 1-10 and a national percentile on a scale of 1-100. We then further stratified these patients into local and national quintile groups. Local ADI 1 included scores of 1-2, and local ADI 5 included scores of 9-10. National ADI 1 comprised scores 1-20, and national ADI 5 scored 81-100. The other scores were equally divided into ADI 2, 3, and 4. Higher ADI scores were associated with lower socioeconomic status. We identified clinical outcomes, including wound infection, respiratory failure, urinary tract infection, acute kidney injury, limb stenosis, readmission, length of stay, and subsequent re-intervention rates. 241 patients underwent EVAR over the time period examined. 57.3% (n=138) of patients were in quintiles 4 and 5 for local ADI; when national ADI percentiles organized these same patients, 47.3% (n=114) were in quintiles 4 and 5. Patient demographics did not vary between the local and national groups. We saw no statistically significant difference in intra-operative variables, postoperative complications, readmission, loss to follow-up, or 1-year mortality rates across ADI quintiles at the local or national level. Binary Logistic Regression showed no statistical significance for local and national ADI quintiles for hospital readmission and overall postoperative complications. We found that there was no statistical significance between hospital readmission rates or worse surgical outcomes across local and national ADI quintiles. This suggests that the VHA resources and multidisciplinary support may improve care across neighborhoods. This comprehensive care provided at VHA may mitigate post-operative complications in patients undergoing EVARs. Further research is warranted to investigate the role of area deprivation in healthcare and EVAR outcomes in a veteran population.

Sociodemographic and Health Characteristics of Hispanic Veteran Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury and Its Association to Mortality: A Pilot Study.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is among the most common conditions in the military. VA Caribbean Healthcare System (VACHS) patients with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) have a higher mortality rate than Veterans in other VA health care systems in the United States. The main goal of this study was to develop sociodemographic profiles and outline health characteristics of Hispanic patients with TBI treated at the VA Caribbean Healthcare System in a search for potential explanations to account for the higher mortality rate. This study advocates for equity in health services provided for minorities inside the militia. Data collected from electronic medical records and VA databases were used to create sociodemographic and health characteristics profiles, in addition to survival models. The population of the study were post 911 Veteran soldiers who had been diagnosed with TBI. Adjusted models were created to provide hazard ratios (HR) for mortality risk. Out of the 16,549 files available from all 10 selected VA sites, 526 individuals were identified as treated at the VACHS. Of 526 subjects screened, 39 complied with the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Results include: 94.4% male, 48.7% between the ages of 21 and 41 years, 89.7% have depression, 66.7% have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 82.1% receive occupational therapy, 94.9% have severe headaches, 100% suffer from pain, 94.9% have memory problems, and 10.3% have had suicidal thoughts. Over 60% had a first-hand explosion experience, be it just the explosion or with another type of injury. Data showed that 33% of our patients had a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), 31% had a CT, 15.4% had a SPECT, and 2.6% had PET scan. Significant associations were found between MRIs and speech therapies, and MRIs and total comorbidities. The Cox proportional-hazards model for survival adjusted for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and comorbidities shows that VACHS Veterans diagnosed with a TBI had a higher mortality risk rate (HR 1.23 [95% CI 1.10, 1.37]) when compared to the other 9 health centers with the highest percentage of Hispanic Veterans. Since explosions were the most common mechanism of injury, further research is needed into the experiences of Veterans in connection with this specific variable. A high percentage of the patients suffered from depression and PTSD. Additionally, over half of the patients had an unmeasured TBI severity. The effects these aspects have on symptomatology and how they hinder the recovery process in Hispanic patients should be examined in further detail. It is also important to highlight that family and friends' support could be key for injury treatment. This study highlights the use of the 4 types of scans (MRI, CT, PET/CT, and SPECT/CT) as ideal diagnosis tools. The alarming number of patients with suicidal thoughts should be a focus in upcoming studies. Future studies should aim to determine whether increased death rates in TBI Veterans can be linked to other United States islander territories. Concepts, such as language barriers, equal resource allocation, and the experiences of Veterans with TBIs should be further explored in this Veteran population.

A Stepwise Diagnostic Stewardship Approach to Reduce Unnecessary Urine Cultures, Asymptomatic Bacteriuria, and CAUTI Rate

Background: Clinically non-indicated asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) identification precipitates higher reported catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) rates and urinary tract infection (UTI)-directed antimicrobial overuse. Published diagnostic stewardship interventions to reduce ASB were mostly tested individually and heterogeneously; hence the optimal bundle approach is yet to be defined. Methods: We performed a single-center sequential quasi-experimental study involving hospitalized, emergency, and long-term care patients at a VA healthcare facility, retrospectively comparing standard of care (period 1: 1/1/2022-6/30/2022) to adding dedicated provider education on facility-approved urine-culturing indications (period 2: 7/1/2022-1/19/2023), then adding an electronic clinical decision support (CDS) tool (Figure 1) mandating urine-culturing indications selections (period 3: 1/20/2023-6/30/2023), then prospectively adding real-time case-based physician-generated audit/feedback emails on ordering appropriateness (period 4: 7/1/2023-12/31/2023). We randomly sampled approximately 500 orders from each period and measured the impact on the rate of urine reflex/culture orders, the percentage of non-indicated orders and ASB, UTI-directed antimicrobial usage, and facility-wide CAUTI rates. Results: We analyzed 2140 urine reflex/culture orders (Table 1 and Figure 2). The mean monthly orders per 1000 bed-days and percentage of non-indicated orders decreased with each intervention to one-fourth of the initial values by period 4 (p=0.0002). The ASB rate among positive cultures was unchanged from periods 1 to 2 but started to decrease in period 3 with the biggest impact in period 4 (p=0.01). Non-indicated and ASB-directed antimicrobial courses both followed the previous pattern, dropping from 28% and 26% baseline to 6% and 4% by the study conclusion (p=0.015 and 0.008), respectively. Estimated UTI-directed antimicrobials decreased by 34% (363/551) with antimicrobial-days saved from 4093 to 2846 per 6-month period. CAUTI rate relatively declined with each intervention, along with a reduction in ASB-attributed CAUTI’s from 45% (5/11) initially to 20% (1/5) in period 4. Conclusion: A stepwise urine-culturing diagnostic stewardship approach of clinical education, electronic CDS tool, plus real-time audit/feedback decreased overall urine reflex/cultures, non-indicated ordering, ASB identification, unnecessary antimicrobials, and CAUTI rates, with the greatest impact after bundling all interventions including order appropriateness audit/feedback.

Improving Early Sepsis &amp; Severe Sepsis Identification and Management on Internal Medicine service at the Detroit John D. Dingell VA Medical Center

Background: Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction due to infection, with an incidence of nearly 50 million people each year, causing about 11 million in mortality worldwide. Adhering to Sepsis protocols is a quality metric monitored by both the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services (CMS) via the SEP 1 measure and the VA Healthcare System through SEP 90, which consists of an all-or-nothing score comprised of individual metrics. These metrics include specific actions such as early management bundle utilization, lactate monitoring, timely fluid resuscitation, and vasopressor administration, all within defined timeframes. Based on FY 2023 Data, the John D. Dingell VAMC performed nationally in the last quintile with &gt; 72% fallouts. Given that the vast majority of our Sepsis patients are treated and managed by the inpatient Internal Medicine resident service, we initiated a Quality Improvement project to educate them and thereby decrease our number of fallouts. We aim to improve Sepsis, severe Sepsis, &amp; Septic shock Identification and Management by 50% over the course of 8 months on the internal medicine service. Methods: Internal medicine residents are central to the identification and management of early Sepsis and Severe Sepsis at the Detroit VA. Given the monthly turnover of resident teams, we focused on our model for improvement on interventions at the start of each month with targeted educational sessions to define Sepsis, severe Sepsis, and septic shock (and their management). We have also implemented targeted EMR training on utilizing a recently developed “Sepsis Bundle order set” for patients who have been identified as Sepsis. Sepsis Menu data usage was collected based on health factor tags on patients with Sepsis as their ICD-10 code on discharge from the internal medicine service. Results: Internal Medicine Resident educational sessions and EMR training commenced on July 1st, 2024. Sepsis Bundle was implemented in the EMR late 2022 due to rising fallouts of Sepsis and severe sepsis cases. However, its usage remained minimal, as depicted in Figure One, when compared to the number of discharged patients. Following the educational sessions and EMR training, both the identification and management of Sepsis have increased. Prior to intervention, from October 2022 to June 2023, a mean sepsis bundle usage rate of 10% was observed for identified sepsis patients, whereas post-intervention, from July 2023 to March 2024, the mean has increased to 30%. Conclusion/Discussion: Based on the early data, we can confidently note that our monthly education sessions, paired with our process measure (Sepsis bundle use), have been effective. Ongoing opportunities for improvement are improved coordination and handoff between ER and IM/MICU. We continue to see the need for ongoing resident education on identification and appropriate documentation of Sepsis severity along with obtaining labs within a certain time frame.