Peake: Demonstrates VA's Openness and Accountability WASHINGTON, June 13
WASHINGTON, June 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new "hospital report
card" by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) gives the Department's health
care system high marks, with VA facilities often outscoring private-sector
health plans in standards commonly accepted by the health care industry.
"This report is a comprehensive snapshot of the quality of care VA
provides to our veterans," said Dr. James B. Peake, Secretary of Veterans
Affairs. "From waiting times and staffing levels to hospital accreditation and
patient satisfaction, this report demonstrates VA is providing high quality
care to the veterans we serve."
Among the report's finding:
-- 98 percent of veterans were seen within 30 days at primary care
facilities, 97 percent at specialty clinics. (Veterans requiring
emergency care are seen immediately.)
-- All of VA's 153 medical centers are accredited by the independent Joint
Commission which accredits all U.S. health care facilities.
-- The quality scores for older veterans are similar to those for younger
veterans.
Although screening for breast and cervical cancer for women in VA
facilities exceeds screening in private-sector facilities, women veterans lag
behind their male counterparts in some quality measurements, the report noted.
VA has already launched an aggressive program to ensure women veterans
receive the highest quality of care, including placement of women advocates in
every outpatient clinic and medical center. Health care will be a major topic
at VA's National Summit on Women Veterans Issues scheduled for June 20-22 in
Washington.
The report also found minority veterans are generally less satisfied with
inpatient and outpatient care than white veterans. That disparity will be the
focus of an in-depth study, based upon input from veterans, which will be
completed this summer.
"Disparities in treatment and satisfaction based on gender or ethnic
background are unacceptable," Peake said. "VA has a robust program to look at
disparities and to deal with the underlying causes."
The report card is available on the Internet at
http://www.va.gov/health/docs/Hospital_Quality_Report.pdf . In February,
Congress directed VA to complete the report card, highlighting measurements of
quality, safety, timeliness, efficiency and "patient-centeredness."
"This report demonstrates VA's determination to be open and accountable
for the quality and safety of the care we provide," Peake said. "No other
health care organization provides this much information about its ability to
care for its patients."
SOURCE U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
