United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2007-03-21 monographic deposited born digital 57 p. GA 1.13:GAO-07-408 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-408 P0b002ee180374552 f:d07408 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-408 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-408 GAO-07-408 Assets Health care facilities Health care planning Health care programs Health care services Performance measures Program evaluation Strategic planning Veterans hospitals Veterans' medical care Capital investment planning Program implementation GAO High Risk Series VA Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services Initiative Other Written Product A67086

Through its Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) operates one of the largest health care systems in the country. In 1999, GAO reported that better management of VA's large inventory of aged capital assets could result in savings that could be used to enhance health care services for veterans. In response, VA initiated a process known as Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES). Through CARES, VA sought to enhance veteran care by the appropriate sizing, upgrading, and locating of VA facilities. GAO was asked to examine the CARES process. Specifically, GAO examined (1) how CARES contributes to VHA's capital planning process, (2) the extent to which the CARES process considered capital asset alignment alternatives, and (3) the extent to which VA has implemented CARES decisions and how this implementation has helped VA carry out its mission. To address these issues, we analyzed CARES documents, interviewed VA officials, and conducted six site visits, among other things. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-408/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-408.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-408/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-408.pdf GAO-07-408 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-408 Other Written Product GAO-07-408; VA Health Care: VA Should Better Monitor Implementation and Impact of Capital Asset Alignment Decisions; Assets Health care facilities Health care planning Health care programs Health care services Performance measures Program evaluation Strategic planning Veterans hospitals Veterans' medical care Capital investment planning Program implementation GAO High Risk Series VA Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services Initiative Title 38 Section 3108 38 U.S.C. 3108 Volume 102 Page 487 102 Stat. 487 Volume 112 Page 3315 112 Stat. 3315 Volume 120 Page 3403 120 Stat. 3403 Public Law 100-322 Public Law 105-368 Public Law 109-461