Epidemiology of the 2022 Mpox Outbreak in the US Veterans Health Administration.

BACKGROUND: In May 2022, mpox cases were reported in nonendemic countries, including the United States. We examined mpox infections in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). METHODS: Mpox diagnostic and whole genome sequencing (WGS) results, demographics, risk factors, hospitalizations, exposures, deaths, and pharmacy and immunization data were obtained from VHA data sources (23 May 2022-31 May 2023). RESULTS: Of 1144 Veterans tested, 251 (21.9%) were presumptive positive for nonvariola orthopoxvirus (NVO) or confirmed positive for NVO and Monkeypox virus (MPXV). Incidence rate was 7.5 per 100 000 Veterans in care, with the highest rate observed in Veterans aged 25-34 years (13.83 cases per 100 000). Higher odds of NVO or NVO/MPXV positivity was associated with male sex; non-Hispanic Black race/ethnicity; syphilis or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positivity; or genital/rectal sample site, whereas older age and vaccination with JYNNEOS or vaccinia (smallpox) had lower odds. Among 209 with confirmatory testing, 90.4% reported intimate contact and/or an epidemiological link, 84.5% were men who have sex with men (MSM), 24.2% received tecovirimat, and 8.1% were hospitalized with 1 death. Eighty-six sequenced samples had evaluable WGS results. All were clade IIb, representing 10 different lineages from 20 states and the District of Columbia. CONCLUSIONS: Mpox affected younger, MSM, non-Hispanic Black, and HIV/syphilis-positive men among US Veterans. Viral diversity was noted across geographic regions. At-risk Veterans would benefit from vaccination and risk reduction strategies for mpox and other sexually transmitted infections.

Effect of BMI and hemoglobin A1c on survival of veterans with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treated with abiraterone or enzalutamide.

BACKGROUND: Abiraterone acetate and enzalutamide are two common therapies for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) that have shown improved overall survival (OS). The drugs have different mechanisms of action with limited comparative trials to evaluate treatment in patients with comorbidities such as obesity and diabetes. This is important since abiraterone requires the co-administration of prednisone. We assessed the relationship between body mass index (BMI), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), treatment, and survival in mCRPC. METHODS: Veterans treated with abiraterone or enzalutamide within the Veterans Health Administration between September 10, 2014 and June 2, 2017 with BMI and HbA1c were identified. Additional variables included age, baseline prostate-specific antigen at first treatment for mCRPC, race, and the Charlson comorbidity index. Differences in survival were compared using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional hazards regression modeling was used to assess the association between initial treatment, BMI, and HbA1c while adjusting for confounding variables. RESULTS: A total of 5231 patients were identified with a mean age of 75.2 years and 1241 (23.7%) were of black race. BMI was associated with OS with longest median survival of 29.8 months in BMI ≥ 30 (n = 1903), 23.9 months in BMI 25-30 (n = 1879), 15.9 months in BMI 18.5-25 (n = 1336), and 9.2 months in BMI < 18.5 (n = 113, p < 0.001). In a multivariable model compared to normal BMI, increased mortality was observed in BMI < 18.5 (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.583, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.29-1.94) and a decreased mortality in BMI 25-30 (aHR = 0.751, 95% CI: 0.69-0.81) and BMI > 30 (aHR = 0.644, 95% CI: 0.59-0.70). In 3761 patients with BMI > 25, there was longer OS in patients treated with enzalutamide (28.4 months, n = 1615) compared to abiraterone (25.8 months, n = 2146, p = 0.002). In 1470 patients with BMI < 25, there was no difference in OS between patients treated with enzalutamide (16.0 months, n = 597, p = 0.513) or abiraterone (16.1 months, n = 873). In 1333 veterans with HbA1c ≥ 6.5%, initial prescription of enzalutamide was associated with longer OS compared with abiraterone (24.4 vs. 20.5 months, p = 0.0005). In 2088 patients with HbA1c < 6.5%, there was no difference in OS in patients who were initially prescribed enzalutamide versus abiraterone (25.7 vs. 23.5 months, p = 0.334). CONCLUSIONS: In veterans with mCRPC, increased BMI was associated with longer survival. Veterans with BMI > 25 had longer survival with enzalutamide compared to abiraterone. In patients with HbA1c ≥ 6.5%, enzalutamide was associated with longer survival compared to abiraterone. These results may facilitate prognostication of survival and improve treatment selection based on patient comorbidities.

Trajectory of Healthcare Contact Days for Veterans With Advanced Gastrointestinal Malignancy.

How and where patients with advanced cancer facing limited survival spend their time is critical. Healthcare contact days (days with healthcare contact outside the home) offer a patient-centered and practical measure of how much of a person's life is consumed by healthcare. We retrospectively analyzed contact days among decedent veterans with stage IV gastrointestinal cancer at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Healthcare System from 2010 to 2021. Among 468 decedents, the median overall survival was 4 months. Patients spent 1 in 3 days with healthcare contact. Over the course of illness, the percentage of contact days followed a "U-shaped" pattern, with an initial post-diagnosis peak, a lower middle trough, and an eventual rise as patients neared the end-of-life. Contact days varied by clinical factors and by sociodemographics. These data have important implications for improving care delivery, such as through care coordination and communicating expected burdens to and supporting patients and care partners.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma Diagnosis and Management in 2021: A National Veterans Affairs Quality Improvement Project.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic profoundly disrupted preventative health care services including cancer screening. As the largest provider of cirrhosis care in the United States, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Gastroenterology and Hepatology Program aimed to assess factors associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) stage at diagnosis, treatment, and survival. METHODS: Veterans with a new diagnosis of HCC in 2021 were identified from electronic health records (N = 2306). Structured medical record extraction was performed by expert reviewers in a 10% random subsample of Veterans with new HCC diagnoses. Factors associated with stage at diagnosis, receipt of treatment, and survival were assessed using multivariable models. RESULTS: Among 199 patients with confirmed HCC, the average age was 71 years and most (72%) had underlying cirrhosis. More than half (54%) were at an early stage (T1 or T2) at diagnosis. Less-advanced liver disease, number of imaging tests adequate for HCC screening, HCC diagnosis in the VA, and receipt of VA primary care were associated significantly with early stage diagnosis. HCC-directed treatments were administered to 145 (73%) patients after a median of 37 days (interquartile range, 19-54 d) from diagnosis, including 70 (35%) patients who received potentially curative treatments. Factors associated with potentially curative (vs no) treatments included HCC screening, early stage at diagnosis, and better performance status. Having fewer comorbidities and better performance status were associated significantly with noncurative (vs no) treatment. Early stage diagnosis, diagnosis in the VA system, and receipt of curative treatment were associated significantly with survival. CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight the importance of HCC screening and engagement in care for HCC diagnosis, treatment, and survival while demonstrating the feasibility of developing a national quality improvement agenda for HCC screening, diagnosis, and treatment.

Design and Pilot Results from Million Veteran Program Return Of Actionable Genetic Results (MVP-ROAR) Study.

BACKGROUND: As a mega-biobank linked to a national healthcare system, the Million Veteran Program (MVP) can directly improve the health care of participants. To determine the feasibility and outcomes of returning medically actionable genetic results to MVP participants, the program launched the MVP Return Of Actionable Results (MVP-ROAR) Study, with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) as an exemplar actionable condition. METHODS: The MVP-ROAR Study consists of a completed single-arm pilot phase and an ongoing randomized clinical trial (RCT), in which MVP participants are recontacted and invited to receive clinical confirmatory gene sequencing testing and a telegenetic counseling intervention. The primary outcome of the RCT is 6-month change in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) between participants receiving results at baseline and those receiving results after 6 months. RESULTS: The pilot developed processes to identify and recontact participants nationally with probable pathogenic variants in low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) on the MVP genotype array, invite them to clinical confirmatory gene sequencing, and deliver a telegenetic counseling intervention. Among participants in the pilot phase, 8 (100%) had active statin prescriptions after 6 months. Results were shared with 16 first-degree family members. Six-month ΔLDL-C (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) after the genetic counseling intervention was -37 mg/dL (95% CI: -12 to -61; p=0.03). The ongoing RCT will determine between-arm differences in this primary outcome. CONCLUSION: While underscoring the importance of clinical confirmation of research results, the pilot phase of the MVP-ROAR Study marks a turning point in MVP and demonstrates the feasibility of returning genetic results to participants and their providers. The ongoing RCT will contribute to understanding how such a program might improve patient health care and outcomes.

Lifetime prevalence and correlates of colorectal cancer screening among low-income U.S. Veterans.

PURPOSE: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated healthcare system in the U.S. While preventive healthcare services are high priority in the VHA, low-income U.S. Veterans experience adverse life circumstances that may negatively impact their access to these services. This study examined lifetime prevalence as well as demographic, socioeconomic, military-specific, and clinical correlates of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening among low-income U.S. Veterans ≥ 50 years of age. METHODS: Cross-sectional data on 862 participants were analyzed from the 2021-2022 National Veteran Homeless and Other Poverty Experiences study. RESULTS: Overall, 55.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 51.3-59.3%) reported ever-receiving CRC-screening services. In a multivariable logistic regression model, never-receivers of CRC screening were twice as likely to reside outside of the Northeast, and more likely to be married (odds ratio [OR] = 1.86, 95% CI 1.02, 3.37), have BMI < 25 kg/m2 [vs. 25- < 30 kg/m2] (OR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.19, 2.58), or ≥ 1 chronic condition (OR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.06, 2.02). Never-receivers of CRC screening were less likely to be female (OR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.29, 0.96), aged 65-79y [vs. ≥ 80y] (OR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.40, 0.92), live in 5 + member households (OR = 0.33, 95% CI 0.13, 0.86), disabled (OR = 0.45, 0.22, 0.92), with purchased health insurance (OR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.33, 0.98), or report alcohol-use disorder (OR = 0.10, 95% CI 0.02, 0.49) and/or HIV/AIDS (OR = 0.28, 95% CI 0.12, 0.68). CONCLUSION: Nearly 55% of low-income U.S. Veterans reported ever screening for CRC. Variations in CRC-screening behaviors according to veteran characteristics highlight potential disparities as well as opportunities for targeted behavioral interventions.

Trajectories of Physical Resilience Among Older Veterans With Stage 4 CKD.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Although functional impairment is common among older adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD), functional reserve before an acute health event and physical resilience after the event have not been characterized in this population. The purpose of this study was to identify distinct patterns of physical function before and after an acute health event among older veterans with stage 4 CKD. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: National sample of veterans≥70 years of age with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of<30mL/min/1.73m2 who had an acute care encounter (emergency department visit or hospitalization) during the follow-up period (n = 272). PREDICTORS: Demographic characteristics, eGFR, basic and instrumental activities of daily living (ADL/IADL) difficulty, symptom burden, cognition, depressive symptoms, social support. OUTCOME: Function measured using the life-space mobility assessment obtained by telephone survey before and after an acute care encounter. ANALYTICAL APPROACH: General growth mixture models to identify classes of functional trajectories. Calculation of percentages for demographic characteristics and means for eGFR, ADL/IADL difficulty, symptom burden, cognition, depressive symptoms, and social support by trajectory class. RESULTS: Four trajectory classes were identified and characterized by different levels of life-space mobility before (reserve) and change in life-space mobility after (resilience) an acute care encounter: (1) low reserve, low resilience (n=91), (2) high reserve, high resilience (n=23), (3) moderate reserve, moderate resilience (n=89), and (4) high reserve, low resilience (n=69). Mean levels of ADL/IADL difficulty, symptom burden, cognition, and depressive symptoms, but not demographic characteristics, eGFR, or social support, differed by trajectory class. LIMITATIONS: Veteran cohort was primarily male. CONCLUSIONS: Among older adults with stage 4 CKD, physical function trajectories before and after an acute health event vary. Integrating reserve and resilience into care for this population may be useful for anticipating changes in function and developing tailored treatment plans.

Disability-Adjusted Life Years Resulting from Ocular Injury among Deployed Service Members, 2001-2020.

PURPOSE: To quantify the burden of ocular injuries on deployed US service members by calculating disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). DESIGN: Retrospective, observational cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: US service members with ocular injuries sustained in combat zones from January 1, 2001 to May 19, 2020. METHODS: Health states and duration of injuries were identified using data from the Defense and Veterans Eye Injury and Vision Registry. These health states were mapped to disability weights from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. Average duration of injury or illness was calculated until remission or death. For the latter, life expectancy at age of sustaining injury, as identified from US Life Tables from the National Vital Statistics Reports 2020, was used. Using Defense Manpower Data Center reports capturing number of service members deployed per year, incidence rates were calculated for ocular injury and DALYs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Disability-adjusted life years of ocular injury. RESULTS: Seventeen thousand five hundred fifty-five patients sustained ocular injury that incurred DALYs. In total, these injuries resulted in 11 214 DALYs (average, 0.64 DALYs per included patient and 20.6 DALYs per 10 000 US service members per year). Severe impairment of distance vision (77.9%) and blindness (10.6%) were the primary contributors of DALYs. Although only 9.3% of patients sustained a permanent ocular injury, permanent disability accounted for 99.5% of total DALYs. The average yearly incidence rate of ocular injury was 32.0 cases per 10 000 US service members. Foreign body was the most frequent injury type (2754 occurrences), followed by abrasion (2419 occurrences) and multiple injury types (1429 occurrences). The most DALYs occurred in patients with multiple injury types (2485 DALYs), followed by abrasion (accounting for 725 DALYs) and foreign body (accounting for 461 DALYs). DISCUSSION: We report higher average DALYs per case ratio among US service members compared with the general population studied by the GBD study, highlighting the differences in probabilities of permanent injury between the two studies. Our study provides understanding of the impact of ocular injuries on active-duty service members and lays the groundwork for further research and interventions to mitigate their burden. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Anatomic patterns in claudicants who fail supervised exercise therapy.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with intermittent claudication (IC) from peripheral arterial disease (PAD) have significant improvement with supervised exercise therapy (SET). However, many patients have progressive disease that will ultimately require revascularization. We sought to determine whether the anatomic patterns of PAD were associated with response to SET. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled patients with IC at the West Haven, Connecticut Veterans Health Administration between June 2019 and June 2022. Patients were classified based on the level of their arterial disease with >50% obstruction. SET failure was defined as progressive symptoms or development of critical limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) requiring revascularization. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients with PAD were included. Thirteen patients (34.2%) had significant common femoral artery (CFA) disease, and 25 (65.8%) had non-CFA disease. Over a median follow-up of 1407 days, 11 patients (84.6%) with CFA disease failed SET as compared with three patients (12.0%) with non-CFA disease (P < .001). Patients with CFA disease were more likely to develop CLTI (46.2% vs 4.0%; P = .001) and have persistent symptoms (38.5% vs 8.0%; P = .02). Patients with CFA disease had significantly lower post-SET ankle-brachial index (0.58 ± 0.14 vs 0.77 ± 0.19; P = .03). In multivariate analysis, the only variable associated with SET failure was CFA disease location (odds ratio, 68.75; 95% confidence interval, 5.05-936.44; P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with IC from high-grade CFA atherosclerosis are overwhelmingly likely to fail SET, potentially identifying a subset of patients who benefit from upfront revascularization.

Health Conditions and Treatment Utilization Among Older Male Veterans Incarcerated in Prisons.

BACKGROUND: More than 50,000 older male veterans incarcerated in prisons are expected to return to their communities and utilize the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and community healthcare systems. To support the continuity of healthcare and overall successful community reentry of older incarcerated veterans, an understanding of their health profiles and treatment utilization while in correctional care is needed. OBJECTIVE: To assess the health status of older male veterans incarcerated in state prisons and explore demographic, military, and VHA-related factors associated with medical conditions, disabilities, behavioral conditions, and medical and behavioral treatment utilization. DESIGN/PARTICIPANTS: Cross-sectional observational study of 880 male veterans aged 50 + incarcerated in state prisons using data from the 2016 Bureau of Justice Statistics Survey of Prison Inmates. MAIN MEASURES: Veteran status, self-report health status, and treatment utilization since prison admission. Prevalence rates for conditions and treatment utilization were calculated. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association of characteristics with conditions and treatment utilization. KEY RESULTS: Among the 880 older male veterans in state prisons, the majority reported having a current medical condition (79.3%) or disability (61.6%), almost half had history of a mental health condition (44.5%), and more than a quarter (29%) had a substance use disorder. Compared to White veterans, Black veterans were less likely to report a disability or mental health condition. Few demographic, military, and VA-related characteristics were associated with medical or behavioral conditions or treatment utilization. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the VHA and community healthcare systems need to be prepared to address medical and disability conditions among the majority of older male veterans who will be leaving prison and returning to their communities. Integrated medical and behavioral healthcare delivery models may be especially important for these veterans as many did not receive behavioral health treatment while in prison.

Impact of a Remote Primary Care Telehealth Staffing Model on Primary Care Access in the Veterans Health Administration.

BACKGROUND: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) implemented the Clinical Resource Hub (CRH) program to fill staffing gaps in primary care (PC) clinics via telemedicine and maintain veterans' healthcare access. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate PC wait times before and after CRH implementation. DESIGN: Comparative interrupted time series analysis among a retrospective observational cohort of PC clinics who did and did not use CRH during pre-implementation (October 2018-September 2019) and post-implementation (October 2019-February 2020) periods. PARTICIPANTS: Clinics completing ≥10 CRH visits per month for 2 consecutive months and propensity matched control clinics. MAIN MEASURES: Two measures of patient access (i.e., established, and new patient wait times) and one measure of clinic capacity (i.e., third next available appointment) were assessed. Clinics using CRH were 1:1 propensity score matched across clinical and demographic characteristics. Comparative interrupted time series models used linear mixed effects regression with random clinic-level intercepts and triple interaction (i.e., CRH use, pre- vs. post-implementation, and time) for trend and point estimations. KEY RESULTS: PC clinics using CRH (N = 79) were matched to clinics not using CRH (N = 79). In the 12-month pre-implementation, third next available time increased in CRH clinics (0.16 days/month; 95% CI = [0.07, 0.25]), and decreased in the 5 months post-implementation (-0.58 days/month; 95% CI = [-0.90, -0.27]). Post-implementation third next available time also decreased in control clinics (-0.48 days/month; 95% CI = [-0.81, -0.17]). Comparative differences remained non-significant. There were no statistical differences in established or new patient wait times by CRH user status, CRH implementation, or over time. CONCLUSIONS: In a national VHA telemedicine program developed to provide gap coverage for PC clinics, no wait time differences were observed between clinics using and not using CRH services. This hub-and-spoke telemedicine service is an effective model to provide gap coverage while maintaining access. Further investigation of quality and long-term access remains necessary.

Characteristics of Veterans Experiencing Homelessness using Telehealth for Primary Care Before and After COVID-19 Pandemic Onset.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic expanded telehealth use across healthcare systems, including the Veterans Health Administration (VA). Little is known about how large-scale telehealth rollout affected access to primary care for patients experiencing homelessness. OBJECTIVE: To examine the extent to which homeless-experienced veterans used telehealth services in primary care and to characterize users before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study, 3/16/2019-3/15/2022. PARTICIPANTS: 394,731 veterans with homelessness diagnoses nationally using 4,068,109 primary care visits. MAIN MEASURES: The outcomes were use of 1 + telehealth visits (video, phone, secure messaging) for primary care during each year. Through multivariable regression models, we examined associations between telehealth use, patient characteristics (e.g., age, sex, race-ethnicity, comorbidity), and VA homeless services use (e.g., homeless-tailored primary care (HPACT), permanent supportive housing). KEY RESULTS: Compared to pre-pandemic, telehealth in primary care among homeless-experienced veterans increased substantially 2 years post-pandemic (video: 1.37% versus 20.56%, phone: 60.74% versus 76.58%). Secure messaging was low over time (1.57-2.63%). In adjusted models, video users were more likely to be young (65 + years: OR = 0.43, CI: 0.42-0.44), women (OR = 1.74, CI: 1.70-1.78), Black (OR = 1.14, CI: 1.12-1.16), Hispanic (OR = 1.34, CI: 1.30-1.38), and with more comorbidities (2 + on the Charlson Comorbidity Index; OR = 1.16, CI: 1.14-1.19), compared to video non-users. HPACT patients were less likely to use video (OR = 0.68, CI: 0.66-0.71) than other primary care patients. This was not observed among users of other VA homeless services. CONCLUSIONS: Despite decreased access to health information technology and low pre-pandemic telehealth use, veterans experiencing homelessness still sustained high use of telehealth in primary care post-pandemic. Women and racial-ethnic minorities had higher video uptake proportionately, suggesting that telehealth may address access disparities among these homeless-experienced patient groups. Identifying and targeting organizational characteristics (e.g., HPACT users) that predict telehealth use for improvement may be key to increasing adoption among VA primary care patients experiencing homelessness.

Identifying Patterns of Primary Care In-Person and Telemedicine Use in the Veterans Health Administration: A Latent Class Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The Veterans Health Administration increased synchronous telemedicine (video and telephone visits) in primary care in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine veteran use patterns of in-person and telemedicine primary care when all modalities were available. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort analysis. We performed a latent class analysis of primary care visits over a 1-year period to identify veteran subgroup (i.e., class) membership based on amount of primary care use and modality used. Then, we used multinomial logistic regression with a categorical outcome to identify patient characteristics associated with class identification. PARTICIPANTS: A random national sample consisting of 564,580 primary care empaneled veterans in June 2021. MAIN MEASURES: Latent class membership. KEY RESULTS: We identified three latent classes: those with few primary care visits that were predominantly telephone-based (45%), intermediate number of visits of all modalities (50%), and many visits of all modalities (5%). In an adjusted model, characteristics associated with the "few" visits class, compared to the intermediate class, were older age, male sex, White race, further driving distance to primary care, higher Gagne, optimal internet speed, and unmarried status (OR 1.002, 1.52, 1.13, 1.004, 1.04, 1.05, 1.06, respectively; p < .05). Characteristics associated with membership in the "many" visits class, compared to the intermediate class, were Hispanic race, higher JEN Frailty Index and Gagne (OR 1.12, 1.11, 1.02, respectively; p < .05), and higher comorbidity by Care Assessment Need score quartile (Q2 1.73, Q3 2.80, Q4 4.12; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Veterans accessing primary care in-person or via telemedicine do so primarily in three ways: (1) few visits, predominantly telephone; (2) intermediate visits, all modalities, (3) many visits, all modalities. We found no groups of veterans receiving a majority of primary care through video.

"It's Like Finding Your Way Through the Labyrinth": a Qualitative Study of Veterans' Experiences Accessing Healthcare.

BACKGROUND: The 2014 Veterans Choice Act and subsequent 2018 Veteran's Affairs (VA) Maintaining Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act (MISSION Act) are legislation which clarified Veteran access to healthcare provided by non-VA clinicians (community care). These policies are of particular importance to Veterans living in rural areas, who tend to live farther from VA medical facilities than urban Veterans. OBJECTIVE: To understand Veterans' experiences of the MISSION Act and how it impacted their access to primary care to inform future interventions with a focus on reaching rural Veterans. DESIGN: Qualitative descriptive design. PARTICIPANTS: United States (US) Veterans in Northwestern states engaged in VA and/or community care. APPROACH: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of Veterans between August 2020 and September 2021. Interview domains focused on barriers and facilitators of healthcare access. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. KEY RESULTS: We interviewed 28 Veterans; 52% utilized community care as their primary source of care and 36% were from rural or frontier areas. Three main themes emerged: (1) Veterans described their healthcare experiences as positive but also frustrating (billing and prior authorization were noted as top frustrations); (2) Veterans with medical complexities, living far from healthcare services, and/or seeking women's healthcare services experienced additional frustration due to increased touch points with VA systems and processes; and (3) financial resources and/or knowledge of the VA system insulated Veterans from frustration with healthcare navigation. CONCLUSIONS: Despite provisions in the MISSION Act, Veteran participants described persistent barriers to healthcare access. Patient characteristics that required increased interaction with VA processes exacerbated these barriers, while financial resources and VA system knowledge mitigated them. Interventions to improve care coordination or address access barriers across VA and community care settings could improve access and reduce health inequities for Veterans-especially those with medical complexities, those living far from healthcare services, or those seeking women's healthcare.

Changes in Patient-Reported Outcomes Associated with Receiving Whole Health in the Veteran Health Administration (VHA)'s National Demonstration Project.

BACKGROUND: Whole Health (WH) is a patient-centered model of care being implemented by the Veterans Health Administration. Little is known about how use of WH services impacts patients' health and well-being. OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess the association of WH utilization with pain and other patient-reported outcomes (PRO) over 6 months. DESIGN: A longitudinal observational cohort evaluation, comparing changes in PRO surveys for WH users and Conventional Care (CC) users. Inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to balance the two groups on observed demographic and clinical characteristics. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 9689 veterans receiving outpatient care at 18 VA medical centers piloting WH. INTERVENTIONS: WH services included goal-setting clinical encounters, Whole Health coaching, personal health planning, and well-being services. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was change in pain intensity and interference at 6 months using the 3-item PEG. Secondary outcomes included satisfaction, experiences of care, patient engagement in healthcare, and well-being. KEY RESULTS: By 6 months,1053 veterans had utilized WH and 3139 utilized only CC. Baseline pain PEG scores were 6.2 (2.5) for WH users and 6.4 (2.3) for CC users (difference p = 0.028), improving by - 2.4% (p = 0.006) and - 2.3% (p < 0.001), respectively. In adjusted analyses, WH use was unassociated with greater improvement in PEG scores compared to CC - 1.0% (- 2.9%, 1.2%). Positive trends were observed for 8 of 15 exploratory outcomes for WH compared to CC. WH use was associated with greater improvements at 6 months in likelihood to recommend VA 2.0% (0.9%, 3.3%); discussions of goals 11.8% (8.2%, 15.5%); perceptions of healthcare interactions 2.5% (0.4%, 4.6%); and engagement in health behaviors 2.2% (0.3%, 3.9%). CONCLUSION: This study provides early evidence supporting the delivery of WH patient-centered care services to improve veterans' experiences of and engagement in care. These are important first-line impacts towards the goals of better overall health and well-being outcomes for Veterans.

Overcoming Obstacles: Barriers to Virtual Care Use Among Video-Enabled Tablet Recipients in the Veterans Health Administration.

INTRODUCTION: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) distributes video-enabled tablets to individuals with barriers to accessing care. Data suggests that many tablets are under-used. We surveyed Veterans who received a tablet to identify barriers that are associated with lower use, and evaluated the impact of a telephone-based orientation call on reported barriers and future video use. METHODS: We used a national survey to assess for the presence of 13 barriers to accessing video-based care, and then calculated the prevalence of the barriers stratified by video care utilization in the 6 months after survey administration. We used multivariable modeling to examine the association between each barrier and video-based care use and evaluated whether a telephone-based orientation modified this association. RESULTS: The most prevalent patient-reported barriers to video-based care were not knowing how to schedule a visit, prior video care being rescheduled/canceled, and past problems using video care. Following adjustment, individuals who reported vision or hearing difficulties and those who reported that video care does not provide high-quality care had a 19% and 12% lower probability of future video care use, respectively. Individuals who reported no interest in video care, or did not know how to schedule a video care visit, had an 11% and 10% lower probability of being a video care user, respectively. A telephone-based orientation following device receipt did not improve the probability of being a video care user. DISCUSSION: Barriers to engaging in virtual care persist despite access to video-enabled devices. Targeted interventions beyond telephone-based orientation are needed to facilitate adoption and engagement in video visits.

Research Priorities to Expand Virtual Care Access for Patients in the Veterans Affairs Health Care System.

The rapid expansion of virtual care is driving demand for equitable, high-quality access to technologies that are required to utilize these services. While the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is seen as a national leader in the implementation of telehealth, there remain gaps in evidence about the most promising strategies to expand access to virtual care. To address these gaps, in 2022, the VA's Health Services Research and Development service and Office of Connected Care held a "state-of-the-art" (SOTA) conference to develop research priorities for advancing the science, clinical practice, and implementation of virtual care. One workgroup within the SOTA focused on access to virtual care and addressed three questions: (1) Based on the existing evidence about barriers that impede virtual care access in digitally vulnerable populations, what additional research is needed to understand these factors? (2) Based on the existing evidence about digital inclusion strategies, what additional research is needed to identify the most promising strategies? and (3) What additional research beyond barriers and strategies is needed to address disparities in virtual care access? Here, we report on the workgroup's discussions and recommendations for future research to improve and optimize access to virtual care. Effective implementation of these recommendations will require collaboration among VA operational leadership, researchers, Human Factors Engineering experts and front-line clinicians as they develop, implement, and evaluate the spread of virtual care access strategies.

Healthcare Utilization Differences Among Primary Care Patients Using Telemedicine in the Veterans Health Administration: a Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic encouraged telemedicine expansion. Research regarding follow-up healthcare utilization and primary care (PC) telemedicine is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether healthcare utilization differed across PC populations using telemedicine. DESIGN: Retrospective observational cohort study using administrative data from veterans with minimally one PC visit before the COVID-19 pandemic (March 1, 2019-February 28, 2020) and after in-person restrictions were lifted (October 1, 2020-September 30, 2021). PARTICIPANTS: All veterans receiving VHA PC services during study period. MAIN MEASURES: Veterans' exposure to telemedicine was categorized as (1) in-person only, (2) telephone telemedicine (≥ 1 telephone visit with or without in-person visits), or (3) video telemedicine (≥ 1 video visit with or without telephone and/or in-person visits). Healthcare utilization 7 days after index PC visit were compared. Generalized estimating equations estimated odds ratios for telephone or video telemedicine versus in-person only use adjusted for patient characteristics (e.g., age, gender, race, residential rurality, ethnicity), area deprivation index, comorbidity risk, and intermediate PC visits within the follow-up window. KEY RESULTS: Over the 2-year study, 3.4 million veterans had 12.9 million PC visits, where 1.7 million (50.7%), 1.0 million (30.3%), and 649,936 (19.0%) veterans were categorized as in-person only, telephone telemedicine, or video telemedicine. Compared to in-person only users, video telemedicine users experienced higher rates per 1000 patients of emergent care (15.1 vs 11.2; p < 0.001) and inpatient admissions (4.2 vs 3.3; p < 0.001). In adjusted analyses, video versus in-person only users experienced greater odds of emergent care (OR [95% CI]:1.18 [1.16, 1.19]) inpatient (OR [95% CI]: 1.29 [1.25, 1.32]), and ambulatory care sensitive condition admission (OR [95% CI]: 1.30 [1.27, 1.34]). CONCLUSIONS: Telemedicine potentially in combination with in-person care was associated with higher follow-up healthcare utilization rates compared to in-person only PC. Factors contributing to utilization differences between groups need further evaluation.

Black Veterans Experiences with and Recommendations for Improving Weight-Related Health Care: A Photovoice Study.

BACKGROUND: Non-Hispanic Black or African American (hereafter Black) veterans lose less weight than other users of the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) weight management program (MOVE!), despite higher enrollment. OBJECTIVE: To understand factors that affect weight loss disparities between Black veterans and other veterans. DESIGN: Qualitative study using Photovoice methods. PARTICIPANTS: Self-identified Black veterans in MOVE! across the USA (two women, seven men). APPROACH: We conducted six virtual Photovoice sessions with Black veterans. Session one provided orientation to the goal of understanding factors that might affect weight loss disparities. Participants chose missions related to weight management and VHA care, bringing photos or other media (e.g., poems) to discuss during remaining sessions. Facilitators/participants identified themes related to each session in real time. Between and after sessions, facilitators/investigators conducted rapid qualitative analysis of transcripts/audio to group similar themes, identify illustrative quotes/photos/other media, and prepare dissemination products (e.g., this manuscript). Participants provided feedback on the manuscript during an additional session. KEY RESULTS: Themes were identified across three categories: (1) Food in Our Lives and Health Care; (2) Body Image; and (3) Healthcare Bias and Discrimination. The emotional impact of food and the negative effects of bias and discrimination on health care quality and trust were especially salient. Participants provided recommendations for weight-related and general care. Notable recommendations included the need for VHA to hire and retain providers-especially Black providers-who understand and respect Black patients and are committed to delivering evidence-based, culturally sensitive care. In addition, weight management care should be tailored to individual patients' diets and health beliefs and deemphasize body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: Photovoice resulted in concrete targets that could reduce health disparities. Institutions should consider Photovoice and similar approaches to build trust with and incorporate input from marginalized communities. This approach requires sustained commitment from leaders to engage stakeholders and implement solutions.

Contribution of Potentially Inappropriate Medications to Polypharmacy-Associated Risk of Mortality in Middle-Aged Patients: A National Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: The role of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in mortality has been studied among those 65 years or older. While middle-aged individuals are believed to be less susceptible to the harms of polypharmacy, PIMs have not been as carefully studied in this group. OBJECTIVE: To estimate PIM-associated risk of mortality and evaluate the extent PIMs explain associations between polypharmacy and mortality in middle-aged patients, overall and by sex and race/ethnicity. DESIGN: Observational cohort study. SETTING: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the largest integrated healthcare system in the US. PARTICIPANTS: Patients aged 41 to 64 who received a chronic medication (continuous use of ≥ 90 days) between October 1, 2008, and September 30, 2017. MEASUREMENT: Patients were followed for 5 years until death or end of study period (September 30, 2019). Time-updated polypharmacy and hyperpolypharmacy were defined as 5-9 and ≥ 10 chronic medications, respectively. PIMs were identified using the Beers criteria (2015) and were time-updated. Cox models were adjusted for demographic, behavioral, and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: Of 733,728 patients, 676,935 (92.3%) were men, 479,377 (65.3%) were White, and 156,092 (21.3%) were Black. By the end of follow-up, 104,361 (14.2%) patients had polypharmacy, 15,485 (2.1%) had hyperpolypharmacy, and 129,992 (17.7%) were dispensed ≥ 1 PIM. PIMs were independently associated with mortality (HR 1.11, 95% CI 1.04-1.18). PIMs also modestly attenuated risk of mortality associated with polypharmacy (HR 1.07, 95% CI 1.03-1.11 before versus HR 1.05, 95% CI 1.01-1.09 after) and hyperpolypharmacy (HR 1.18, 95% CI 1.09-1.28 before versus HR 1.12, 95% CI 1.03-1.22 after). Patterns varied when stratified by sex and race/ethnicity. LIMITATIONS: The predominantly male VA patient population may not represent the general population. CONCLUSION: PIMs were independently associated with increased mortality, and partially explained polypharmacy-associated mortality in middle-aged people. Other mechanisms of injury from polypharmacy should also be studied.