An Evaluation of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Contracts with Non-VA Providers
Abstract
Under increasing pressure to expand services and to improve access for veterans living in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV), the South Texas Veterans Health Care System contracted with non-VA hospitals. Under the contracts, veterans are referred to non-VA hospitals to receive outpatient surgery and medical procedures or short-stay hospitalizations (DRGs with a HCFA average length of stay of three days or less). Surprisingly, four months after the contracts were implemented actual utilization of the contracts was significantly lower than projected. The drastic discrepancy between the actual and the projected utilization raised many questions. In an effort to answer many of these questions, the utilization of the LRGV outpatient surgery and short-stay hospitalization contracts was analyzed. The objectives of the study were to: 1) determine how actual utilization compared to the projected utilization, 2) determine if patients who could receive care through the LRGV contracts are receiving care at the STVHCS rather than utilizing the contracts and if so, why, 3) determine how the contract costs compare with the VAMC costs of providing care, and 4) develop an improved method of predicting future utilization.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA420402
Entities
People
- Janet E. Piihl