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 (=128) who endorsed symptoms of CMI were randomized to: usual care (n=43), in-person (=42) or telephone-delivered cognitive behavioral stress management (=43). Assessments were conducted at baseline, three months, and twelve months.

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.

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.