87 Comments

The VA is the gold standard for inclusive, thorough, evidence-based care. Providers and staff of the VA are passionate professionals who make less than their private practice peers out of a sense of duty to care for our vet population. Vets need to call their reps and senators to stand up for the VA and its providers.

Expand full comment

We really shouldn’t have to. They should be jumping on this without urging. But…

Expand full comment

Mine was fined 1.7B for Medicare fraud.

Expand full comment

BILLION??? Wow, that’s a lot of money, I’ve never heard of a fine they big but if it’s deserved then so be it. It seems like a strange premise to have a government facility have to pay a fine to another government organization. Sad that it got to that level of fraud.

Expand full comment

Rick Scott and the healthcare monster he managed. He has said his company “made some mistakes.”

Expand full comment

We share that one!

Expand full comment

I live in Syracuse and my fiancé is a critical care doctor — we can’t even have conversations about the chaos occurring because he gets so angry and upset. This new turn of events would push him over the edge. I wonder when all this will stop, but those criminal abominations are just getting started. Shame on them and their awful treatment of people who deserve and have earned respect.

Expand full comment

He’s testing a small area knowing full well it’ll end up in court cases. He’s seeing what he can get away with… It’s also another “look over there, not over here” stunt.

Expand full comment

Thanks for the reminder. To be honest, I get tired of trying to sort which action is a distraction and which is important.

Expand full comment

same! i'm also tired of hearing myself mutter in outrage "prohibited language? PROHIBITED LANGUAGE? From the same bunghole-for-brains ugligarchs who've been yelling about Free Speech all these years, whenever you asked them to please knock it off with the sunshine-cures-turbo-cancer B.S. Got it" 😤

Expand full comment

Exactly the point.

Expand full comment

The Trump administration has lost any credibility and common sense it ever had. To go to this extent is more than ridiculous, it is both disrespectful to both the veterans and the medical providers. Having been an RN for over 30 years, I never had any issues with this type of tyranny in documentation! It needs to stop now. The mid-terms can’t get here soon enough!

Expand full comment

In other words, the regime (I refuse to call it an administration, as it implies legitimacy) has lost nothing, because you can't lose what you don't have.

Expand full comment

Great point!

Expand full comment

I am a nurse too, and I fail to see how this documentation has ANY impact on veterans' services in any way, shape or form. But it does smack of Big Brother in one's documentation abilities, and that is unacceptable. What is WRONG with these people? Are there no bigger issues that actually need to be addressed? Says with sarcasm....

Expand full comment

As a Viet combat medic, and a VA Health Care reciepient, I can see how this documentation "change" will have an impact on my felllow VA patients. A "template" using a finite voabulary systematically fails to address unique, complicated or hidden individual issues that only come to light with insightful and compassionate care giving that I have witnesse at my VA network and facilities. Every Vet, male, female, or other, has a story behind their needs that a"template" is incapable of diagnosing. Taking the "personal" aspect out of the health care equation is an Orwellian slap in the face to both our Vets and those who try their best to aid them.

Expand full comment

So depressing. Don’t even know where to start with how horrible this is. Jon Stewart appears to be our last hope for respect for Vets.

Expand full comment

What the hell?! This administration can seriously go all the way to hell🤬

Expand full comment

We should stop calling it an "administration." It's a regime.

Expand full comment

I will maybe just start referring to them that way. Thanks Cindi!

Expand full comment

The use of the word "regime" is now standard practice across much of the interwebs. :-)

Expand full comment

All they are is criminals and traitors and they need to be removed.

Expand full comment

Exactly!

Expand full comment

Aside from the obvious mendacity of this, isn't it a HIPAA violation if anybody in the administration tries to enforce it? Because to enforce it, don't you need to read the charts/records????????

Expand full comment

Well, they would need to review the templates, which may not violate HIPAA.

Expand full comment

Good point, I was assuming clinicians could alter the templates, but I guess the administration won't really care about that because not enough will bother doing that, although it would be nice if they all did (if that's even possible on a digital chart).

Expand full comment

I think you are correct, lawsuits anyone????

Expand full comment

Just when I think it can't get any lower....there is no bottom for this administration.

Expand full comment

The templated notes that already exist or the templates for future notes? I know I’m a dinosaur as a retired RN but I always learned healthcare records are a legal document that can never be changed without seeing what was changed, by whom and why.

Expand full comment

The notes are a listing of entries and the fields are the titles of those entries. If the doesn't display then the field won't display.

Think of it like a library card catalogue. You can pull the card entry and get rid of it. The book is still there (the entry in the record) but with no reference it won't display. The record isn't modified, you just aren't showing the whole record

Expand full comment

This has got to be the most wasteful, nonsensical use of time I have ever heard of!

Expand full comment

Trump and the MAGA CULT are rotten to the core! These people fought for the country which Trump never did! Now Trump is going to take their well deserved benefits? Rotten Bastardos!

Expand full comment

It’s simple… ignore their ignorant request!

Expand full comment

Legislators making healthcare decisions practice medicine without a license.

Illegal in all jurisdictions.

If harm results - elevated to felony.

When medical professionals are prevented by law from keeping their oath - well, here we are

Expand full comment

So much for welcoming and supporting Vets. This is going to cause all kinds medical and clerical issues. I need to find out which one of these big law firms is going to be taking the fight to the VA. I want in this is invasion of my privacy and healthcare and I want this in the courts now.

Expand full comment

Way to expend energy on something that hurts NO ONE but the veteran themselves. It is just cruel and non-productive. This whole focus since Day One of this abomination of an elected group of idiots is to inflict cruelty because they can, not to improve anything. Be it immigration, healthcare services, public health - you name, they wreck it, destroy it, denigrate it - all in the name of power. Shame on them.

Expand full comment

Is anyone else wondering how long it will take before we're all issued mandatory badges to identify what kind of undesirables we are?

Expand full comment

Shades of WWII

Expand full comment

Been thinking I'll sew a star of David on my coat. I'm deep in magaland. See if anyone makes a connection.

Expand full comment

Just because drumpf “orders” something, doesn’t mean we have to do it. Where is the resistance??? WHY IS EVERYONE RESIGNING INSTEAD OF STANDING AT THEIR JOBS AND FIGHTING AGAINST THIS TYRANNY?????? Resigning just gives him more power as he will most likely place unqualified sycophants into these high position jobs. Why is everyone giving him exactly what he wants?…. I don’t get this resigning bull crap!!!!!💩

Expand full comment