VA Health Care: Improved Monitoring Needed for Effective Oversight of Care for Women Veterans
Abstract
In 2010, GAO found a number of weaknesses related to care for women veterans at VA medical facilities. GAO was asked to update that study. This report examines (1) the extent that VA medical centers complied with requirements related to the environment of care for women veterans and VHAs oversight of that compliance; (2) what is known about the availability of VHA medical providers who can provide sex-specific care for women veterans at VA facilities; and (3) VHAs efforts to provide and monitor access to sex-specific care for women veterans through Choice. To do this work, GAO reviewed VHA data on environment of care deficiencies; the number, location, and availability of VHA and Choice medical providers; women veteran enrollment; and Choice access-related performance measures. In addition, GAO inspected the environment of care for compliance with VHA policy at a nongeneralizable sample of six VA medical centers, which were selected to achieve variation in different care models, the size of the women veterans population, and geographical locations. GAO also interviewed VHA Central Office and VA medical center officials. What GAO Recommends GAO recommends that VA (1) strengthen the policies and guidance for its environment of care inspection process and (2) monitor women veterans access to sex-specific care under current and future community care contracts. VA concurred with GAOs recommendations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1022305
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office