United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Health, Education, and Human Services Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1996-09-03 monographic deposited born digital 33 p. GA 1.13:HEHS-96-198 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-96-198 P0b002ee18037ca72 f:he96198 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-23 GAOREPORTS-HEHS-96-198 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-HEHS-96-198 HEHS-96-198 Veterans hospitals Facility construction Veterans benefits Health resources utilization Hospital planning Hospital care services Hospital bed count Medical services rates Cost effectiveness analysis Community health services Martinez (CA) Solano County (CA) VA Northern California Health Care System VA Sierra Pacific Network Palo Alto (CA) San Francisco (CA) VA Integrated Planning Model Sacramento (CA) Fairfield (CA) Alameda County (CA) VA Veterans Integrated Service Network Letter Report HEHS

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) planned construction of an outpatient clinic and additional bed space at the David Grant Medical Center, focusing on whether: (1) the project could be adequately justified; and (2) there are cost-effective alternatives to planned hospital construction.<p/>GAO found that: (1) VA planned construction of additional bed space and an outpatient clinic at Travis Air Base appears to be unjustified; (2) VA has not revised its construction plans to reflect the changes that have occurred in the health care marketplace and advances in medical practices and technology that have reduced the demand for hospital beds in Northern California; (3) VA has not considered whether its construction plans will negatively affect surrounding community hospitals; (4) the veteran population in Northern California is expected to decline by 25 percent between 1995 and 2010 and may not be large enough to support a new outpatient clinic; (5) VA is adequately meeting the health care needs of Northern California Health Care System (NCHCS) veterans; (6) although VA clinics have experienced some space constraints, they have had no problem in placing veterans needing hospital care and using community hospitals for medical emergencies; (7) alternatives to VA construction plans include modifying VA hospital referral patterns, expanding use of other military and VA hospitals, granting VA more authority to contract for lower cost community hospital services, or allowing it to purchase a local Air Force hospital for use as a hospital or outpatient clinic; (8) VA Sierra Pacific Network officials are evaluating the best way to meet veterans' future health care needs, make better use of VA facilities, and increase the use of private and other public facilities; and (9) Congress' decision on whether to fund the construction plan will significantly affect the alternatives and options that can be implemented. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-96-198/html/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-96-198.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-96-198/pdf/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-96-198.pdf GAO/HEHS-96-198 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-96-198 Letter Report GAO/HEHS-96-198; VA Health Care: Travis Hospital Construction Project Is Not Justified; Veterans hospitals Facility construction Veterans benefits Health resources utilization Hospital planning Hospital care services Hospital bed count Medical services rates Cost effectiveness analysis Community health services Martinez (CA) Solano County (CA) VA Northern California Health Care System VA Sierra Pacific Network Palo Alto (CA) San Francisco (CA) VA Integrated Planning Model Sacramento (CA) Fairfield (CA) Alameda County (CA) VA Veterans Integrated Service Network Title 38 Section 1703 Title 38 Section 8153 38 U.S.C. 1703 38 U.S.C. 8153