Dive Brief:
- Patients in the Department of Veterans Affairs health system report, on average, significantly worse experiences on six of 10 measures than those outside of the system, according to an independent report of VA’s healthcare delivery systems and management processes, reports FierceHealthcare.
- The review, whose analysts include Rand and McKinsey & Co., is hot on the heels of a scandal last year that found widespread inadequacies in the department, with data showing a sample of 226 patients from a Phoenix clinic had waited an average of 24 days for primary care appointments, while the real wait time was an average of 115 days.
- Related, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel sent a letter to President Barack Obama stating VA must improve its accountability.
Dive Insight:
Is no news good news concerning the VA health system? According to The Wall Street Journal, the review, made public Friday, reveals multiple flaws, including leadership issues and a “potentially unsustainable capital budget.”
The review was mandated by the Veterans Choice Act, an emergency funding measure passed after the VA scandal last year, costing the public $16 billion. Former VA Secretary Eric Shinseki resigned after the scandel.
The Wall Street Journal reports Commission on Care is tasked to present VA and Congress with a reform plan next year, taking into account the recently released report’s findings.