How we’re failing our female veterans

THE VA’S VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION is the nation’s largest integrated care system. Despite its more than 1,500 hospitals, clinics, and other facilities, the VHA is struggling to keep up with the influx of female patients. That number almost doubled between 2003 and 2012, from 200,631 to 362,014. It’s expected to double again by 2020.

Such escalation poses challenges to a system that once relied upon barracks-like facilities for patients, including open exam rooms and shared bathrooms. But far more important than infrastructure is the ability to provide the specialized care women need, says Patty Hayes, the VA’s chief consultant for Women’s Health Services.

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http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2015/05/21/how-failing-our-female-veterans/M4klZtWRNm3OAK0ri8IzxL/story.html

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