VA Health Care: Improvements Needed in Data and Monitoring of Clinical Productivity and Efficiency

Abstract

VA has faced challenges managing its budget and ensuring veterans' access to health care, generating congressional interest in asking GAO to examine VA's use of its productivity and efficiency metrics. This report assesses (1) whether VA's clinical productivity metrics and efficiency models provide complete and accurate information on provider productivity and VAMC efficiency, and (2) VA's efforts to monitor and improve clinical productivity and efficiency. GAO reviewed VA documentation, such as policies and guidance, and 2015 data on clinical productivity and efficiency, the most recent data available. GAO also interviewed VA Central Office officials about VA's metrics and models and monitoring efforts. GAO visited six VAMCs and their corresponding Veterans Integrated Service Networks, selected based on geographic diversity, variation of facility complexity, and differences in productivity and efficiency levels. GAO examined VA's efforts to monitor and improve clinical productivity and efficiency in the context of federal standards for internal control related to information and monitoring.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 2017
Accession Number
AD1153191

Entities

People

  • Amanda Pusey
  • Hannah Grow
  • Jacquelyn Hamilton
  • Krister Friday
  • Michael Zose
  • Randall B. Williamson
  • Rashmi Agarwal

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accountability
  • Best Practices
  • Congress
  • Department Of Veterans Affairs
  • Education
  • Efficiency
  • Electronic Mail
  • Governments
  • Health Care
  • Health Care Facilities
  • Health Care Management
  • Health Services
  • House Of Representatives
  • Management Personnel
  • Medical Personnel
  • Monitoring
  • Patient Care
  • Productivity
  • Surgery
  • Training
  • United States
  • United States Government
  • Veterans Health
  • Workload

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Government Contracting/Procurement.
  • Rehabilitation and Prosthetic Care for Military Service Members and Veterans with Limb Loss or Disability.