National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships
American Lung Association Partnership
New partnership will make VA even stronger in its fight against Veterans’ lung diseases
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently partnered with the American Lung Association to help improve life for Veterans diagnosed with lung diseases. This partnership will add to the support and resources VA and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) already offer to Veterans and their families and caregivers. VHA’s Office of Community Engagement (OCE) will manage the details of this partnership.
American Lung Association and VA are partnering to contribute to VA’s lung cancer treatment and prevention efforts because of how Veterans are affected by lung cancer—VA diagnoses 7,700 Veterans with lung cancer each year and an estimated 900,000 remain at risk due to age, smoking, and other environmental exposures during and after military service.
This collaboration with American Lung Association is yet another way VA is there for Veterans with lung cancer or lung diseases. VA has a long history of working to prevent Veterans’ lung diseases and other respiratory issues and decrease their symptoms, from leading early research to connect cigarette smoking to cancer, to developing a blood test to determine the causes of respiratory illness. VA continues to conduct groundbreaking research, studies, and clinical projects on topics like the risks of e-cigarettes, tuberculosis treatment, and sleep apnea.
VA also this year partnered with the Go2 Foundation for Lung Cancer—a partnership OCE helped bring to life—which will help more Veterans get screened for lung cancer. VA also recently developed the VA Partnership to Increase Access to Lung Screening (VA-PALS) demonstration project. There are now 15 VA facilities that screen high-risk Veterans for lung cancer thanks to VA-PALS.
Randy Moler, program analyst and licensed clinical social worker at OCE, helped bring the American Lung Association partnership across the finish line, and said the partnership has three main goals: helping Veterans access American Lung Association’s online resources or support groups, including Better Breathers Clubs; giving American Lung Association’s partners and providers a chance to learn more about Veteran-specific issues; and encouraging VA medical centers and regional American Lung Association affiliates to create local partnerships that can bring Veterans awareness and support.
This partnership, Mr. Moler said, “potentially opens up resources for Veterans who aren’t enrolled in VA.” American Lung Association and VA can share information with each of their networks about the lung disease services that both organizations already have for Veterans. American Lung Association’s Better Breathers Club groups, for example, have gone virtual in recent months but are still available for anyone, anywhere. These clubs offer Veterans, their families, and caregivers a chance to connect with other people going through the same thing and learn how to better manage their illness. VA, as it does with all its partnerships, will also share information with American Lung Association that is specific to Veterans’ needs, including suicide prevention; American Lung Association will educate people about VA resources such as the Veterans Crisis Line, S.A.V.E. Training, and more.
“That’s what makes this partnership so important—we have to meet these numbers with action,” said Dr. Tracy L. Weistreich, nurse executive for OCE. “American Lung Association will help expand what VA’s already taking action to do, and Veterans will benefit.”
For more information on OCE’s partnership work, please visit va.gov/healthpartnerships.
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Posted December 8, 2020
