Veterans health care: VA actions needed to ensure timely scheduling of specialty care appointments : report to congressional committees

Veterans health care: VA actions needed to ensure timely scheduling of specialty care appointments : report to congressional committees

Collection:
Health Policy and Services Research
Alternate Title(s):
VA actions needed to ensure timely scheduling of specialty care appointments: report to congressional committees
Contributor(s):
United States. Government Accountability Office, issuing body.
Publication:
Washington, DC : United States Government Accountability Office, January 2023
Language(s):
English
Format:
Text
Subject(s):
Appointments and Schedules
Government Regulation
Health Services Accessibility -- legislation & jurisprudence
Legislation, Medical
Referral and Consultation -- statistics & numerical data
Time Factors
Veterans Health Services -- legislation & jurisprudence
United States
United States. Department of Veterans Affairs
Genre(s):
Technical Report
Abstract:
Why GAO did this study. VHA operates the largest health care delivery system in the United States, providing health care to 6.4 million veterans in fiscal year 2021. In the last decade, Congress has taken steps to expand the ability for eligible veterans to receive care from community providers, such as when they cannot access care in a timely manner from VHA directly. GAO and others have previously identified challenges VHA has had in scheduling appointments in a timely manner. The Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 included requirements for VHA related to appointment scheduling and related oversight and training. It also includes a provision for GAO to review VHA’s efforts. This report, among other objectives, describes VHA’s updated specialty care scheduling process; examines VHA’s scheduling timeliness standards; and examines VHA’s efforts to provide training on the updated scheduling process. GAO reviewed VHA documentation on the scheduling process and scheduling timeliness data for the third quarter of fiscal year 2022, the most recent data available. GAO also interviewed VHA officials and officials at six VA medical centers that were randomly selected based on facility complexity and geography. What GAO Recommends. GAO is making three recommendations, including that VHA conduct a comprehensive analysis of scheduling timeliness data from all VA medical centers and require training. VA concurred with the recommendations and identified steps it would take to implement them.
Copyright:
The National Library of Medicine believes this item to be in the public domain. (More information)
Extent:
1 online resource (1 PDF file (ii, 42 pages))
Illustrations:
Illustrations
NLM Unique ID:
9918589885106676 (See catalog record)
Permanent Link:
http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/9918589885106676