What's wrong with the VA healthcare system?
As accusations of mismanagement, falsified records and preventable patient deaths rock the Veterans Affairs healthcare system, some who are familiar with the VA say the failures are consistent with a pattern of well-documented problems.
What are the most common VA health care complaints?
Some of the most common complaints that I hear on almost on a daily basis, include concerns about unreasonably long wait times to be scheduled for appointments with VA health care providers, concerns about VA medical providers being unresponsive to patient needs, and just overall concerns about inadequate health care in general.
Why does the VA ask for current and ongoing medical treatment?
The reason for that advice is simple. If a veteran is trying to prove service-connected disability, and/or trying to prove that his or her disabilities have worsened, the first thing that the VA is going to do, is look to see if the veteran has current and ongoing medical treatment.
Is there a lack of oversight of the VA?
“There's inadequate oversight,” Draper said. “The VA relies on self-certification for wait times, but we went in and found they were really not in compliance and a lot of the data that is used for oversight purposes is not reliable. It really creates a lack of accountability.”
What does compliance to treatment mean?
Treatment compliance, according to an article in the European Society of Hypertension Scientific Newsletter, defined as "… the degree to which the patient conforms to medical advice about lifestyle and dietary changes as well as to keeping appointments for follow up and taking treatment as prescribed."
How do you ensure treatment compliance?
Nine Tips for Improving Medication AdherenceEducate patients about what to expect. ... Nurture relationships with patients. ... Team up with prescribers. ... Engage the staff. ... Learn about and use available technologies. ... Help patients customize their support tools. ... Schedule appointments. ... Synchronize medications.More items...•
How can treatment compliance be improved?
Successful strategies to improve medication adherence include 1) ensuring access to providers across the continuum of care and implementing team-based care; 2) educating and empowering patients to understand the treatment regimen and its benefits; 3) reducing barriers to obtaining medication, including cost reduction ...
What is VA mission of compliance?
The OIC's core mission is to enhance and preserve Veterans' trust by (1) promoting a culture of integrity, (2) assisting VHA to assess, manage and mitigate legal and regulatory risk and (3) providing a compliance framework, leadership and oversight to promote an integrated enterprise program in which all OIC compliance ...
Why do patients not comply with treatment?
Lack of trust: If for whatever reason, you don't believe your treatment is going to make a difference in your health, you may not be motivated to comply. Apathy: When you don't realize the importance of the treatment, or you don't care if the treatment works or not, you are less likely to comply.
What is the meaning of patient compliance?
The definition of compliance assumes that all medical advice and drugs given to the patient are good for the patient and that the patient should adjust his or her behavior to follow the therapeutic regimen.
How do you make a patient more compliant?
5 Tips to Encourage Patient ComplianceKeep Instructions Simple. Some patients may neglect to follow their care plan because they simply don't understand it. ... Print the Treatment Plan Out. ... Stress the Severity of Noncompliance. ... Build a Rapport. ... Acknowledge Accomplishments.
How do you deal with a noncompliant patient?
5 Tips for Treating Non-Compliant PatientsBe understanding. Put yourself in the patient's shoes and make every effort to be empathetic, thus recognizing the challenges they may experience when trying to understand your requests. ... Educate. ... Document everything. ... Set boundaries and enforce them. ... Avoid ultimatums.
How can you increase medication compliance in a psychiatric patient?
Here are five best practices that mental health professionals should incorporate into their medication noncompliance intervention strategies:Practice empathy. ... Find out the patient's attitude toward medication. ... Employ a shared decision-making (SDM) care model. ... Show patients long-term medication adherence is a good thing.More items...•
What are the options to report compliance issues at the VA?
Discuss your concern with your CBI Officer/Liaison or call the CBI HelpLine toll-free at (866) VHA- HELP / (866) 842-4357. 4. If all else fails, contact the VA Office of the Inspector General (VA OIG).
Why is acting with integrity and compliance in VHA important?
The Code of Integrity provides guidance to ensure that work at VHA is accomplished not only in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations and policies, but also with the spirit of these laws, regulations and policies.
What is a tort claim against the VA?
A Federal Tort claim is a lawsuit against the VA and applies to any situation in which a VA employee, acting on behalf of the VA, is negligent and causes injury.
What are the problems with the VA?
As accusations of mismanagement, falsified records and preventable patient deaths rock the Veterans Affairs healthcare system, some who are familiar with the VA say the failures are consistent with a pattern of well-documented problems.
How many patients did the VA require to be disclosed?
In it, the VA identified 76 patients requiring an institutional disclosure—notification that the patient had been harmed or may have been harmed during care. And of those 76 , the VA reported that 23 had died, but did not directly attribute them to the delays at any of the 13 facilities where there was a death.
How long did it take to see a veteran in 2006?
31, 2006. But the scheduler entered a desired date of Oct. 2, 2006, and created an appointment for Oct. 17, 2006, resulting in a reported wait time of 15 days. Based on the provider's desired date, the wait time was actually 259 days, and the veteran was never put on the electronic waiting list.
What is the role of an AO in VA?
designated by the VA medical facility Director. The AO’s role is to be present and verify
What is a take home patient?
the patient by the health care provider for take home.
Why don't people know how to apply for VA mental health benefits?
For those who could use VA mental health care but haven't sought it, the report cites lack of awareness as a key reason: They don't know how to apply for VA mental health care benefits; they are unsure whether they are eligible; or they are unaware that VA offers these benefits.
Why is there a gap in VA mental health care?
The congressionally mandated report cites two primary reasons for this gap: The VA does not have sufficient resources, or veterans don't know how to access VA mental health care .
Why are veterans not getting mental health care?
veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars aren't getting needed mental health treatment for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression or substance abuse, a national panel of experts says.
How long does it take for the VA to become a reliable provider of mental health care?
The panel recommended that the VA aim to become "a reliable provider of high-quality mental health care services" within three to five years.
What are the barriers to getting treatment?
Other barriers include lack of transportation and inconvenience of treatment locations; concerns about taking time off from work; and fears that discrimination could jeopardize contact with or custody of their children, or lead to a loss of medical or disability benefits.
Do veterans have mental health services?
Also, many vets who know that VA mental health services are available said it's difficult to access those services. On the other hand, many veterans who receive VA mental health care give it high marks. "As the nation's largest provider of mental health care services, the VA system has a unique and unparalleled opportunity to address ...
Why do VA doctors wait so long?
But then, subsequent budget cuts and government-wide salary freezes drive VA doctors to the private sector. Physician and nurse shortages, due entirely to inadequate budgets, are the main reason why veterans have long waits for appointments and procedures.
Why do veterans have long waits for appointments?
Physician and nurse shortages, due entirely to inadequate budgets, are the main reason why veterans have long waits for appointments and procedures. 2. Access. Second, the VA has no control over the number or location of veterans who gain the right to medical care through their miltiary service.
Why are there dramatic advances in saving the lives of wounded soldiers?
Dramatic advances in saving the lives of wounded soldiers means there are more severely disabled veterans needing complex care. Growing understanding of the psychological effects of combat has led to a dramatic increase in the number of veterans who apply for and can benefit from psychological treatment.
Is the VA in crisis?
The VA has long been in crisis. Nevertheless, it has pioneered evidence-based medicine and, overall, gets better outcomes at lower costs than many private health care providers.
Is VA a conduit for government money?
Finally, many conservatives and for-profit health providers in search of new customers want to convert the VA into a conduit for government money to buy private insurance or care for veterans. Private care is more expensive and generally of lower care than what the VA now provides. Thus, to increase the use of private facilities will disrupt ...
What are the most common complaints about VA health care?
Some of the most common complaints that I hear on almost on a daily basis, include concerns about unreasonably long wait times to be scheduled for appointments with VA health care providers, concerns about VA medical providers being unresponsive to patient needs, and just overall concerns about inadequate health care in general.
What happens if there is no VA treatment?
If there is no current treatment, then the VA’s default position is normally to assume that the veteran’s disabilities aren’t that severe. In other words, the VA’s thought is that, if the condition actually exists or if the condition is severe, then the veteran would be getting treatment. The reality is that there are many different reasons why ...
What is the Veterans Choice Program?
The purpose of the Choice Program is to give veterans faster access to healthcare, but also, access to health care that is outside of the VA and in the private sector . Essentially, the goal is for the VA health care system to help alleviate their backlog by ...
Why is my veteran not receiving medical care?
However, the unfortunate part is that when the VA Regional Office is evaluating the strength of a VA disability claim , the underlying reasons why a veteran is not receiving treatment don’t really seem to matter. To the VA, either the veteran is being treated or not, which then results in the VA believing that either the disabilities are serious, or, in the case of non-treatment, that they are not.
How long does it take to see a veteran at the VA?
The veteran is not able to be seen at his/her local VA facility within 30 days. The veteran lives more than 40 miles away from a VA medical facility. The Veteran faces an unusual or excessive burden in traveling to a VA medical facility based on geographic challenges, environmental factors, or a medical condition.
Does the Choice Program affect veterans?
Importantly, if a veteran is deemed eligible for the Choice Program, participation in that program should not otherwise affect the veteran’s eligibility to receive health care through the main VA system. Additionally, the veteran’s VA copayments should remain the same, whether or not the care is received through the VA or privately through ...
Does the VA always encourage veterans to resolve problems?
Of course, the VA always encourages veterans to attempt to resolve problems through their assigned treatment team first. In other words, if there is an issue with any members of the treatment team, the veteran is encouraged to discuss those issues with the treatment team first, or, within the chain of command for the treatment team.
What is the current problem with the VA?
Flawed methodology is what led the VA to its current problems. We cannot have a VA system that moves from one flawed methodology to another. Imposing rigid one-size-fits-all standards on veterans who do not fit nicely into the average mold only leads to a dysfunctional appeals program.
What are the challenges veterans face?
Veterans continue to struggle with limited access, poor service, bureaucratic operational systems and processes.
Who concludes that if ICER is to contribute to the successful formulary placement of drugs and devices the methodology?
In Innovations in Pharmacy, Dr. Paul Langley concludes that “if ICER is to contribute to the successful formulary placement of drugs and devices the methodology for pricing recommendation should be re-assessed.”
Can we continue to have a system that functions poorly and does not deliver the services our veterans need?
We cannot continue to have a system that functions poorly and does not deliver the services our veterans need.
Does the VA have rigid standards?
One example is the recent announcement that VA will employ new, rigid standards in making coverage and access decisions for veterans’ access to new drugs. VA will rely on reports done by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER), an organization that evaluates evidence on the value of medical tests, treatments and delivery system innovations. While the VA certainly should be work to promote affordability, use of this type of standard moves the program in the wrong direction.
Is ICER a good partner for the VA?
A partnership with ICER will only further damage the broken VA system. At a time when many are focused on ways that we can increase quality care at the VA, this partnership is a step in the wrong direction. We need careful, proven leadership to lead the charge, and ICER is not that leader.