WOMEN VETERANS UNIQUE and SPECIAL NEEDS

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WOMEN VETERANS UNIQUE and SPECIAL NEEDS

• Safe Patient Handling Program
• Tampa, Florida
• Sept 15-18, 2008
• Peggy Mikelonis ANP-BC, MS, NE-BC
• Lead Women Veterans Program Manager VISN 8

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OVERVIEW

• Increasing number of women veterans
• Access
• Needs
• Primary Care/Gender Specific Care
• Provider needs
• Equipment needs
• Women Veterans with Special Needs
• Who, What, Why and How

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Women Veterans Using VA
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More women veterans on the way

• Freshman class of women military
• Army 20
• Navy 20
• Air Force 28
• Marines 6

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Age groups Women Veterans Using VA
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The OIF/OEF Woman Veteran Impacts VA

• She is utilizing VA Services 42.2 enroll
• She is coming to VA frequently
• 45.6 were seen 2-10 visits
• 38.5 seen 11 or more times since 2002

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DemographicsAgeN 94,010 Women Veterans
VA Healthcare Utilization Among 94,010 Female
OIF/OEF Veterans Through 1st Qtr. FY 2008
Environmental Epidemiology Service
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VHA Health Policy

• Gender specific care is primary care
• Challenge How to provide sufficient numbers of
  interested and proficient primary care providers
  for women veterans
• One stop shop and what it means Her primary care
  provider provides gender specific care
• Mental Health integration into Primary care is
  essential for womens healthcare

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VA Challenge

• Responding to influx of women
• Proficient Providers
• Training Programs
• Nurses, Support staff
• Appropriate and adequate equipment
• Tables (hi-lo) for breast and pelvic exams
• Gynecological equipment for handicapped women

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• WHO are these Women Veterans?
• WHAT are their special Needs?
• WHAT is different?
• WHY do we need to focus on
• this issue now?
• HOW do we care for them?

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Who are WV with special needs??

• Young. Old
• Single , Married, Divorced, Same
• sex partners
• Have young children
• Employed, unemployed
• Homeless
• Various racial, ethnic, cultural and
  religious backgrounds

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What are some of the Special Needs??

• Amputees
• Polytrauma
• TBI
• Burn victims
• Survivors of MST (military sexual trauma)

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Diagnosis same as men but not treated the same

• SCI
• Mental Health Issues
• Mobility limitations
• Blind
• Obesity
• Stroke victims
• Multiple sclerosis

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UNIQUE Women's NEEDS

• Gynecological Disorders
• Bleeding disorders
• Cancers (cervical, ovarian, uterine, vulvar)
• Infertility
• Pregnancies
• Breast cancer
• Reconstruction
• Implants
• Self image issues

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Why do we need to be concerned?

• Equal but not the Same
• New generation of veterans
• NEW FACE of VA
• Training needs
• PRIVACY and SAFETY

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HOW DO WE DO IT

• It takes a VILLAGE
• Address/focus on women in every new program
  developed, equipment purchased, policies
  developed, and staff hired at your facilities
• Work with Local WVPM
• Be INVOLVED
• THANK a WOMAN VETERAN FOR HER SERVICE

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• YOU SERVE, YOU DESERVE
• THE BEST CARE ANYWHERE
• QUESTIONS???
• COMMENTS
• Thank you