Nomination of Dr. Petzel
Nomination of Dr. Petzel to be Department of Veterans Affairs Undersecretary for Health
Washington, DC November 23, 2009
On Nov. 17, 2009, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Robert A. Petzel to be under secretary for health, Department of Veterans Affairs. Robert A. Petzel, M.D., was appointed acting principal deputy under secretary for health of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) in May 2009. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Petzel was network director of the Department of Veterans Affairs Midwest Health Care Network based in Minneapolis, Minn. Previously, Dr. Petzel was director of VA Network 23 and was chief of staff at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. Dr. Petzel also co-chairs the National VHA Strategic Planning Committee and the VHA System Redesign Steering Committee.
Dr. Petzel graduated from St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn., in 1965 and from Northwestern University Medical School in 19 ... Continue to Full Story
Washington, DC November 23, 2009
On Nov. 17, 2009, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Robert A. Petzel to be under secretary for health, Department of Veterans Affairs. Robert A. Petzel, M.D., was appointed acting principal deputy under secretary for health of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) in May 2009. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Petzel was network director of the Department of Veterans Affairs Midwest Health Care Network based in Minneapolis, Minn. Previously, Dr. Petzel was director of VA Network 23 and was chief of staff at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. Dr. Petzel also co-chairs the National VHA Strategic Planning Committee and the VHA System Redesign Steering Committee.
Dr. Petzel graduated from St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn., in 1965 and from Northwestern University Medical School in 19 ... Continue to Full Story
VA Casualties at Ft. Hood, Texas
VA Employees among those killed and wounded at Ft. Hood
Washington, DC
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced that two VA employees, both serving on active duty with their Army Reserve units, were among those murdered at Ft. Hood. A third VA health care worker on reserve duty was seriously wounded.
Russell G. Seager, Ph.D., a 51-year old nurse practitioner at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee was killed in the deadly attack. He was a captain in the Reserves. Seager signed up for the Army Reserve four years ago. This would have been his first overseas deployment.
Juanita L. Warman, 55, a nurse practitioner at VA’s medical center in Perry Point, MD was also killed. She was a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve and was preparing for deployment to Iraq at the time of her death.
Dor ... Continue to Full Story
Washington, DC
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced that two VA employees, both serving on active duty with their Army Reserve units, were among those murdered at Ft. Hood. A third VA health care worker on reserve duty was seriously wounded.
Russell G. Seager, Ph.D., a 51-year old nurse practitioner at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee was killed in the deadly attack. He was a captain in the Reserves. Seager signed up for the Army Reserve four years ago. This would have been his first overseas deployment.
Juanita L. Warman, 55, a nurse practitioner at VA’s medical center in Perry Point, MD was also killed. She was a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve and was preparing for deployment to Iraq at the time of her death.
Dor ... Continue to Full Story
Major Problems at the VAMC Fayetteville, NC
WashingtonDC
Breaking News From Fayetteville Veterans Affairs Medical Center
The director of the Fayetteville VA Medical Center announced his retirement Wednesday, only three days after The Fayetteville Observer reported dissatisfaction among employees and patients at the hospital. In a recent government survey the Fayetteville VA hospital was rated the worst in job satisfaction.
Workers and patients at the Fayetteville Veterans Affairs Medical Center rate the hospital lower than their counterparts at seven other VA hospitals in North Carolina and Virginia, according to two recent government surveys. Veteran advocates, employees and patients frustrated with the VA say the surveys reflect a larger issue.
In the two-state region, the Fayetteville VA employees reported the lowest marks in 12 out of 13 categories in a survey measuring job satisfaction. Scores in eight of those categories were deemed statistically meaningful and significantly lower than scores at the other VA hospitals. The hospital has overwhelming morale problems that require major reforms.
Bruce Triplett, director [now the former Director] of the Fayetteville VA hospital on Ramsey Street, is reported to have stated that his staff has tried to develop ways to improve morale, including a new employee satisfaction committee. But part of the reason Fayetteville may have a low job satisfaction score, Triplett said, could be the 63 percent minority population of the staff. Triplett is reported to have said "that minorities tend to score lower on satisfaction surveys than others," Triplett said.
Fayetteville VA Director Bruce Triplett's last day in charge of the hospital will be Nov. 20, but his retirement won't be official until March 1, 2010. During that time, Triplett will apparently be assigned to eliminate homelessness among veterans in the mid-Atlantic region. Ralph Gigliotti, director of the Durham VA Medical Center, will serve as interim director of the Fayetteville hospital starting Nov. 23, 2009.
These developments followed the F ... Continue to Full Story
Breaking News From Fayetteville Veterans Affairs Medical Center
The director of the Fayetteville VA Medical Center announced his retirement Wednesday, only three days after The Fayetteville Observer reported dissatisfaction among employees and patients at the hospital. In a recent government survey the Fayetteville VA hospital was rated the worst in job satisfaction.
Workers and patients at the Fayetteville Veterans Affairs Medical Center rate the hospital lower than their counterparts at seven other VA hospitals in North Carolina and Virginia, according to two recent government surveys. Veteran advocates, employees and patients frustrated with the VA say the surveys reflect a larger issue.
In the two-state region, the Fayetteville VA employees reported the lowest marks in 12 out of 13 categories in a survey measuring job satisfaction. Scores in eight of those categories were deemed statistically meaningful and significantly lower than scores at the other VA hospitals. The hospital has overwhelming morale problems that require major reforms.
Bruce Triplett, director [now the former Director] of the Fayetteville VA hospital on Ramsey Street, is reported to have stated that his staff has tried to develop ways to improve morale, including a new employee satisfaction committee. But part of the reason Fayetteville may have a low job satisfaction score, Triplett said, could be the 63 percent minority population of the staff. Triplett is reported to have said "that minorities tend to score lower on satisfaction surveys than others," Triplett said.
Fayetteville VA Director Bruce Triplett's last day in charge of the hospital will be Nov. 20, but his retirement won't be official until March 1, 2010. During that time, Triplett will apparently be assigned to eliminate homelessness among veterans in the mid-Atlantic region. Ralph Gigliotti, director of the Durham VA Medical Center, will serve as interim director of the Fayetteville hospital starting Nov. 23, 2009.
These developments followed the F ... Continue to Full Story
Death Reported with Improper Administration of Flu Drug
WASHINGTON -- MEDICAL ALERT October 9, 2009 -The FDA said today that GlaxoSmithKline has reported the death of an influenza patient treated with nebulized Relenza (zanamivir).
The company said the death occurred when the zanamivir inhalation powder was removed from its "FDA-approved packaging and dissolved" in a solution for the purpose of nebulizing the drug for inhalation.
The patient was a pregnant woman living outside the U.S., but GSK informed the FDA that it was aware that drug was being used this way as a treatment for influenza patients who are unable to take oral medications or who are "unable to inhale Relenza Inhalation Powder using the Diskhaler."
In a warning letter to physicians, GSK said that the inhalation powder "is not intended to be reconstituted in any liquid formulation and it is not recommended for use in any nebulizer or mechanical ventilator.”
Zanamivir has not been FDA approved for nebulization and "the safety, effectiveness, and stability of zanamivir use by nebulization have not been established." ... Continue to Full Story
The company said the death occurred when the zanamivir inhalation powder was removed from its "FDA-approved packaging and dissolved" in a solution for the purpose of nebulizing the drug for inhalation.
The patient was a pregnant woman living outside the U.S., but GSK informed the FDA that it was aware that drug was being used this way as a treatment for influenza patients who are unable to take oral medications or who are "unable to inhale Relenza Inhalation Powder using the Diskhaler."
In a warning letter to physicians, GSK said that the inhalation powder "is not intended to be reconstituted in any liquid formulation and it is not recommended for use in any nebulizer or mechanical ventilator.”
Zanamivir has not been FDA approved for nebulization and "the safety, effectiveness, and stability of zanamivir use by nebulization have not been established." ... Continue to Full Story
Erroneous VA Letters Re: Lou Gehrig's Disease
Washington, DC
According to media reports, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced it will apologize personally to veterans who received erroneous letters saying they had been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease.
VA employees were still trying to determine exactly how many veterans mistakenly received letters intended to inform people with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, of benefits available to them or surviving spouses and children.
VA officials said the department mailed more than 1,800 letters last week and had been notified by fewer than 10 veterans who received them in error. But the National Gulf War Resource Center, a veterans group, said at least 1,200 veterans received the letters by mistake.
According to media reports, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced it will apologize personally to veterans who received erroneous letters saying they had been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease.
VA employees were still trying to determine exactly how many veterans mistakenly received letters intended to inform people with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, of benefits available to them or surviving spouses and children.
VA officials said the department mailed more than 1,800 letters last week and had been notified by fewer than 10 veterans who received them in error. But the National Gulf War Resource Center, a veterans group, said at least 1,200 veterans received the letters by mistake.
by sspagnolo | Monday, November 23, 2009 at 5:49 PM
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