Sep 2, 2008

Local VA health care earns national prestige

By Shannon Barry / Daily News Correspondent

As prospective presidential candidates shine the spotlight on issues like the Iraq war, many veterans have returned home with injuries that require extensive treatment and emotional support. But their service isn't going unnoticed.

Locally, the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) reaches out to help veterans and factors in their different backgrounds, including socioeconomic status, age and gender.

"As everyone knows, women are playing an ever-increasing role in our military and it is a critical role," said Hospital Director Lisa Freeman. "Now it is our turn to ensure they receive the best health care available - that is our critical role."

Their center for women veterans was the first VA in the nation honored as a center of excellence, said Samina Iqbal, director of the Women's Health Clinic, at the annual ice-cream social, held Friday to honor women that have served.

Approximately 50 women veterans from World War II to Iraq eras attended the event that featured poetry and music.

"These gals are worth it," said VA nurse Victoria Wolfe. "This is really just a chance for our girls to come together."

In 2007, the local center treated nearly 6,000 women, who represented approximately 10 percent of the overall veterans treated.

"While all veterans require convenient access to medical care, we recognize that women have some special needs that must be addressed," Iqbal said.

There are many branches of women's health care, but some services include preventive health, behavioral medicine and counseling, and gynecological specialty services in an environment devoted to women. These services weren't created all at once, but have taken time to develop and expand.

According to Iqbal, the average age of women veterans is decreasing and with this comes different challenges including researching and implementing what the needs are for younger women.

Although Iqbal has seen many changes since she began working at the hospital 14 years ago, she said it is satisfying that the hospital's services adapt to their patients. They received funding to research and address six new initiatives in women's care and are looking forward to the different possibilities, she said.

"They are able to provide an interdisciplinary health care approach for women that is unparalleled in the civilian sector," Iqbal said.