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Joining Forces Wellness Week offers tips on caring for veterans and families

Check out this week’s free webinar series for insights on providing culturally competent care to service members and their families.

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As the nation observes Veterans’ Day on Nov. 11, the Joining Forces Initiative is offering a series of free webinars on veterans’ health topics such as suicide prevention, pain management and caring for caregivers. If you aren’t able to make the webinars this week, recorded versions will be available for on-demand viewing later. The AOA is a partner in the Joining Forces initiative, which seeks to provide support for U.S. service members and their families. The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine is also a partner in the initiative.

Because of their emphasis on whole-patient care, DOs are perfectly positioned to help veterans, says Baligh Yehia, MD, the assistant deputy under secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Dr. Yehia, who spoke at OMED 2016, emphasized that DOs can work with veterans within the VA or in community practice through the Veterans Choice Program. Whatever the care setting, however, it’s important for physicians to develop the cultural competence needed to treat members of this unique patient population.

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