Telephone-Based versus In-Person Delivery of Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Veterans with Chronic Multisymptom Illness: A Controlled, Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: The goal of this randomized clinical trial was to examine the efficacy of a cognitive behavioral stress reduction treatment for reducing disability among veterans with chronic multisymptom illness (CMI). METHOD: Veterans (N=128) who endorsed symptoms of CMI were randomized to: usual care (n=43), in-person (n=42) or telephone-delivered cognitive behavioral stress management (n=43). Assessments were conducted at baseline, three months, and twelve months. The primary outcome was limitation in roles at work and home (i.e., 'role physical'). Reductions in catastrophizing cognitions were evaluated as a mechanism of action. RESULTS: Intent-to-treat analyses showed no statistically significant main effect (F(2, 164)=.58, p=.56) or interaction effect (F(4,164)=.94, p=.45) for role physical. Over time, veterans improved in their physical function (F(2,170)=5.34, p<.01; á½´2 partial=.06), PTSD symptoms (F(2,170)=9.39, p<.01; á½´2 partial=.10), depressive symptoms (F(2,170)=10.81, p<.01, á½´2 partial=.11), and physical symptoms (F(2, 172)=12.65, p<.01; á½´2 partial=.13), but these improvements did not differ across study arms over time. Completer analyses yielded similar results. There were no differences in catastrophizing between arms. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest stress reduction may not be the right target for improving disability among veterans with CMI. Veterans with CMI may need intervention that directly impacts medical self-management to improve disability.

High healthcare utilization near the onset of medically unexplained symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with medically unexplained syndromes (MUS) often do not receive appropriate healthcare. A critical time for effective healthcare is the inception of MUS. The current study examined data from a prospective longitudinal study of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) soldiers to understand the relationship of increasing physical symptom burden to healthcare utilization. METHODS: Data was examined from a prospective study of OEF/OIF soldiers assessed before and one year after deployment (n=336). Physical symptom burden was measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15). Analyses were conducted with polynomial regression and response surface analysis (RSA). RESULTS: Increases in physical symptom burden predicted greater healthcare utilization one year after deployment: primary care practitioner (slope=-0.26, F=4.07, p=0.04), specialist (slope=-0.43, F=8.67, p=0.003), allied health therapy (e.g., physical therapy) (slope=-0.41, F=5.71, p=0.02) and mental health (slope=-0.32, F=4.04, p=0.05). There were no significant difference in utilization between those with consistently high levels and those with increases in physical symptom burden. CONCLUSION: This is the first prospective study to examine, and show, a relationship between onset of clinically significant physical symptoms and greater healthcare utilization. Our data suggest that patients with increasing physical symptom burden have the same level of healthcare as patients with chronic physical symptom burden. Needed next steps are to better understand the quality of care at inception and determine how to intervene so that recommended approaches to care are provided from the onset.

Systems innovation model: an integrated interdisciplinary team approach pre- and post-bariatric surgery at a veterans affairs (VA) medical center.

BACKGROUND: Provision of bariatric surgery in the Veterans Health Administration must account for obese veterans' co-morbidity burden and the geographically dispersed location of patients relative to Veterans Affairs (VA) bariatric centers. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate a collaborative, integrated, interdisciplinary bariatric team of surgeons, bariatricians, psychologists, dieticians, and physical therapists working in a hub-and-spokes care model, for pre- and post-bariatric surgery assessment and management. METHODS: This is a description of an interdisciplinary clinic and bariatric program at a VA healthcare system and a report on program evaluation findings. Retrospective data of a prospective database was abstracted. For program evaluation, we abstracted charts to characterize patient data and conducted a patient survey. RESULTS: Since 2009, 181 veterans have undergone bariatric surgery. Referrals came from 7 western U.S. states. Mean preoperative body mass index was 46 kg/m2 (maximum 71). Mean age was 53 years, with 33% aged>60 years; 79% were male. Medical co-morbidity included diabetes (70%), hypertension (85%), and lower back or extremity joint pain (84%). A psychiatric diagnosis was present in 58%. At 12 months, follow-up was 81% and percent excess body mass index loss was 50.5%. Among 54 sequential clinic patients completing anonymous surveys, overall satisfaction with the interdisciplinary team approach and improved quality of life were high (98% and 94%, respectively). CONCLUSION: The integrated, interdisciplinary team approach using a hub-and-spokes model is well suited to the VA bariatric surgery population, with its heavy burden of medical and mental health co-morbidity and its system of geographically dispersed patients receiving treatment at specialty centers. As the VA seeks to expand the use of bariatric surgery as an option for obese veterans, interdisciplinary models crafted to address case complexity, care coordination, and long-term outcomes should be part of policy planning efforts.