VA Pacific Islands Health Care System
Director's Message February 19, 2021
Dr. Adam Robinson
VAPIHCS Veterans,This week I’d like to share some of the latest information regarding the COVID-19 Vaccine. Due to the inclement weather on the mainland our vaccines did not arrive this week. Appointments will be rescheduled for Friday and Saturday. If you receive a call to reschedule or have further questions call 1-800-214-1306. As always, our first priority remains the safety of Veterans and our staff. Before leaving your home, please contact your facility, and they will advise if it is possible to confirm a new appointment at that time. Call center wait times may be longer than normal, so we appreciate your patience. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911. VAPIHCS has vaccinated: 6265 1064 Employees 5198 Veterans Currently, we are vaccinating our Veterans who are 65 or older, high risk, or an essential employee. Appointments are made by calling 1-800-214-1306 and are available Monday- Fridays until 8 p.m. and Saturdays until 4 p.m. Currently we have vaccinated more than 6K people. I appreciate everyone who is working around the clock to make this happen. VAPIHCS wants to ensure you have a good immune response to the vaccine The COVID vaccine trials did not include many people on medication that may affect the immune system. These medications are used for treating Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis), Psoriasis, Rheumatologic conditions like Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus, and other diseases. The concern is that certain medications that suppress the immune response could make the vaccine less effective at protecting you from the COVID-19 virus. However, Cancer, Neurology, Dermatology, Gastroenterology and Rheumatology experts recommend the vaccine to people who suffer from these diseases because the COVID-19 virus may cause severe infection in people with these conditions and medications. Guidance from experts recommend how to manage these medications around the vaccine so that the immune system has the best chance to respond. Some experts in cancer care state there should be no changes to your cancer medication timing. There are other guidelines for specific medications for Rheumatologic conditions and in Multiple Sclerosis. If you plan to, or have already received the vaccine, call your doctor who prescribes these medications for you as soon as possible. Tell your doctor the date you received or plan to receive your COVID-19 vaccine doses. Your doctor may or may not change the timing of your next dose of your medications to treat Rheumatologic conditions or Multiple Sclerosis. This is a clinical decision that you and your doctor make as a team. This week’s 75th anniversary – We are highlighting VAPIHCS PTSD Residential Recovery Program (PRRP) We are highlighting VAPIHCS PTSD Residential Recovery Program (PRRP) and are happy to announce our PRRP has reopened on Feb. 8th after being closed due to COVID for 10 months. The PRRP is a specialized, intensive 8– to 9-week residential program designed to treat PTSD associated with military service. PRRP originally opened in Hilo in 1993 and moved to Honolulu in 2006, welcoming active duty personnel in addition to Veterans. The PRRP program is staffed by a diverse and dedicated interprofessional team. The PRRP mission is to provide culturally and ethnically sensitive residential treatment to veterans recovering from active duty related trauma, in an environment that is conducive to their continuing recovery. The primary focus of the PRRP program is treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) via gold standard Evidence Based Psychotherapies for PTSD such as Prolonged Exposure Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy. Many veterans and service members treated in the PRRP also experience co-occurring mental health disorders, addictive disorders, and medical concerns. Given these complexities, the PRRP program also provides comprehensive psychiatric and medical care, case management, readjustment counseling and peer support services, and skills training including Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention, Seeking Safety, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Trauma Informed Guilt Reduction, and Anger Management skills. PRRP is committed to approaching care from a wholistic framework and implements many aspects of the Whole Health model. Whole health is integrated in individual care and serves as the core foundation to Preventive Medicine and Health Promotion Group. Curriculum includes Personal Health Inventory, SMART goal setting, education and discussion on Self Care domains, health promotion and disease prevention, complementary and integrative approaches/consults, mindfulness and other body based approaches, and biopsychosocial pain management. PRRP offers biofeedback, HeartMath, recreational activities, art therapy, and movement/exercise opportunities. Additionally, PRRP is committed to ongoing Whole Health development, recent examples include integration of Suicide Prevention Peer Support and Health Coaching into PRRP wellness programming. In July 2020, University of Hawaii Doctor of Nursing Practice candidate Mary Guo planned to conduct an Evidence Based Practice (EBP) project, which aimed to address the high incidence of co-morbid overweight/obesity (100% of residents in 1 year chart review) in past PRRP patients. After Mary’s life was tragically cut short by intimate partner violence, the PRRP team implemented the EBP project in her honor and has continued offering the 6-week group intervention for weight management, based on the Whole Health model, that Mary designed. The PRRP embodies the four pillars of recovery, as identified by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 1) health, 2) home, 3) purpose, and 4) community. In order to support recovery from PTSD and co-occurring problems, the PRRP addresses each individual patient’s health and wellness needs, provides a stable place to live, promotes opportunity to find meaningful an value consistent purpose in daily life, and does this in a community where patients and learn from and support one another along their recovery journeys. The Flu Vaccine vs COVID-19 Vaccine The flu vaccine and the COVID vaccine protect you from 2 different viruses. The flu vaccine is administered every year, in the fall through the winter. The flu shot is about 50% effective, and has the following benefits: fewer Illnesses, medical visits, ICU and hospital admissions, and days in the ICU and hospital. The COVID vaccine VAPIHCS is using, Moderna, is about 95% effective at reducing symptoms of COVID and, though the numbers are small, at preventing severe illness requiring hospital care. There is developing information about COVID variants and the effectiveness of the vaccine. Preliminary data shows that the Moderna vaccine is effective against some of the common variants circulating in the US. It is unknown if we will need booster shots to boost our immune system or against any COVID variants. Who can now get a COVID-19 vaccine at VA Here’s the latest info on who can now get a COVID-19 vaccine at VA: VA provides COVID-19 vaccines to Veterans who are registered and receive care at VA . We base risk on VA and CDC COVID-19 risk criteria. We are vaccinating Veterans who are at least 65 + years old, OR have a high-risk medical condition, or whom the CDC considers frontline essential workers. Appointments can be made by call 1-800-214-1306 press 0 to speak to someone. VA’s goal is to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to all Veterans who are enrolled and eligible to receive VA health care. Veterans who are not enrolled can learn about eligibility, and those who qualify, may apply for enrollment. Learn more about VA COVID-19 vaccines or contact your care team. There are after-hour appointments available Monday – Friday until 8 p.m. and Saturday until 4 p.m. |
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It is our honor to provide you with safe, compassionate and quality care! One Team, One Ohana! Adam M. Robinson, Jr., MD, MBA, CPE Director, VA Pacific Islands Health Care System VADM, MC, USN, (RET) 36th Surgeon General, USN |
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