Impact of the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic on Veterans Health Administration Sleep Services.

Objectives: To understand the impact of the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic on sleep services within the United States Department of Veterans Affairs using separate surveys from "pre-COVID" and pandemic periods. Methods: Data from a pre-pandemic survey (September to November 2019) were combined with data from a pandemic-period survey (August to November 2020) to Veterans Affairs sleep medicine providers about their local sleep services within 140 Veterans Affairs facilities). Results: A total of 67 (47.9%) facilities responded to the pandemic online survey. In-lab diagnostic and titration sleep studies were stopped at 91.1% of facilities during the pandemic; 76.5% of facilities resumed diagnostic studies and 60.8% resumed titration studies by the time of the second survey. Half of the facilities suspended home sleep testing; all facilities resumed these services. In-person positive airway pressure clinics were stopped at 76.3% of facilities; 46.7% resumed these clinics. Video telehealth was either available or in development at 86.6% of facilities and was considered a lasting addition to sleep services. Coronavirus disease-2019 transmission precautions occurred at high rates. Sleep personnel experienced high levels of stress, anxiety, fear, and burnout because of the pandemic and in response to unexpected changes in sleep medicine care delivery. Conclusions: Sleep medicine services within the Veterans Affairs evolved during the pandemic with many key services being interrupted, including in-lab studies and in-person positive airway pressure clinics. Expansion and initiation of telehealth sleep services occurred commonly. The pandemic adversely affected sleep medicine personnel as they sought to maintain access to care.

National Expansion of Sleep Telemedicine for Veterans: The TeleSleep Program.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: (1) Review the prevalence and comorbidity of sleep disorders among United States military personnel and veterans. (2) Describe the status of sleep care services at Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities. (3) Characterize the demand for sleep care among veterans and the availability of sleep care across the VHA. (4) Describe the VA TeleSleep Program that was developed to address this demand. METHODS: PubMed and Medline databases (National Center for Biotechnology Information, United States National Library of Medicine) were searched for terms related to sleep disorders and sleep care in United States military and veteran populations. Information related to the status of sleep care services at VHA facilities was provided by clinical staff members at each location. Additional data were obtained from the VA Corporate Data Warehouse. RESULTS: Among United States military personnel, medical encounters for insomnia increased 372% between 2005-2014; encounters for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) increased 517% during the same period. The age-adjusted prevalence of sleep disorder diagnoses among veterans increased nearly 6-fold between 2000-2010; the prevalence of OSA more than doubled in this population from 2005-2014. CONCLUSIONS: Most VA sleep programs are understaffed for their workload and have lengthy wait times for appointments. The VA Office of Rural Health determined that the dilemma of limited VHA sleep health care availability and accessibility might be solved, at least in part, by implementing a comprehensive telehealth program in VA medical facilities. The VA TeleSleep Program is an expansion of telemedicine services to address this need, especially for veterans in rural or remote regions. CITATION: Sarmiento KF, Folmer RL, Stepnowsky CJ, Whooley MA, Boudreau EA, Kuna ST, Atwood CW, Smith CJ, Yarbrough WC. National expansion of sleep telemedicine for veterans: the telesleep program. J Clin Sleep Med. 2019;15(9):1355-1364.

Assessment of the intensive care unit treatment of pneumonia at a veterans affairs facility.

INTRODUCTION: Pneumonia is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in the critically ill. Clinicians use a range of duration for antibiotic treatment from 7 to 14 days or longer. Failure to de-escalate antimicrobial therapy in a timely manner may lead to increased antimicrobial resistance, increased risk of side effects, and increased cost. OBJECTIVE: To investigate potential methods to improve treatment of pneumonia for patients in 4 intensive care units (ICUs). METHODS: A retrospective descriptive chart review was conducted at the Veterans Affairs North Texas Health Care System (VANTHCS). Veterans aged 18 to 90 years admitted to the ICU with a diagnosis of pneumonia were included. Descriptive statistics were used to interpret the data. Current management was reviewed to identify markers such as length of antibiotic therapy, ICU length of stay, and inpatient mortality. Secondary objectives included appropriateness and accuracy of the empiric regimen. RESULTS: Of the 1,854 Veterans admitted, 107 met inclusion criteria. Antibiotic choices for positive cultures were appropriate in 45 out of 46 (98%) patients, with an average length of therapy of 8.6 ± 6.3 days. De-escalation of antibiotics based on sensitivity data occurred in 73% of positive cultures. CONCLUSIONS: Pneumonia in the VANTHCS ICUs is initially treated with empiric antibiotics. Empiric antibiotic therapy for pneumonia was appropriate and accurate over this time period. Opportunities exist for de-escalation in patients with or without positive cultures. The procalcitonin assay is now being utilized at VANTHCS to optimize patient care.