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 1995-05-09 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:T-HEHS-95-147 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-95-147 P0b002ee180383091 f:the95147 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-95-147 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-95-147 T-HEHS-95-147 Veterans benefits Health care services Veterans hospitals Health insurance Health services administration Eligibility criteria Health care programs Management information systems Long-term care Nursing homes VA Resource Allocation Methodology System VA Resource Planning Methodology System VA Decision Support System VA Veterans Integrated Service Network Medicare Program Medicaid Program Testimony HEHS The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) lags far behind the private sector in improving the efficiency of its hospitals. During the past decade, GAO has highlighted a series of management problems limiting VA's ability to (1) improve the efficiency and the effectiveness of its hospitals and (2) shift more of its inpatient care to less costly ambulatory settings. Although VA plans a major reorganization and other initiatives to improve its management capabilities, GAO remains concerned that some of the actions may not go far enough. Even if it improves the efficiency of its hospitals, VA is at a crossroads in the evolution of its health care system. The average daily work load in its hospitals dropped about 56 percent during the past 25 years, and further decreases are likely. At the same time, however, demand for outpatient care, nursing home care, and some specialized services is expanding, taxing VA's ability to meet veterans' needs. GAO concludes that a complete reevaluation of the VA health care system is needed. Absent such an effort, use of VA hospitals will likely continue to decline to a point at which VA's ability to provide quality care and support its secondary missions will be jeopardized. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-95-147/html/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-95-147.htm GAO/T-HEHS-95-147 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-95-147 Testimony GAO/T-HEHS-95-147; VA Health Care: Challenges and Options for the Future; Veterans benefits Health care services Veterans hospitals Health insurance Health services administration Eligibility criteria Health care programs Management information systems Long-term care Nursing homes VA Resource Allocation Methodology System VA Resource Planning Methodology System VA Decision Support System VA Veterans Integrated Service Network Medicare Program Medicaid Program