VA official to clinics: Stop gaming the system
Jul 12, 2010 After years of complaints from veterans who say they aren’t getting VA medical appointments within 30 days even if Veterans Affairs Department records show they are, a top VA official sent out a memo asking employees to quit “gaming” the system.
“It has come to my attention that, in order to improve scores on assorted access measures, certain facilities have adopted use of inappropriate scheduling practices sometimes referred to as ‘gaming strategies,’ ” wrote William Schoenhard, VA’s deputy undersecretary for health for operations and management, in the April 26 memo.
The “gaming” came after VA required its employees to ensure patients were given initial appointments within 30 days of entering the VA system. Instead, several clinics came up with ways to make it look as if the veterans had canceled their appointments or hadn’t asked for one until within 30 days of when the appointment was made.
“As we strive to improve access to our veterans, we must ensure in fact that improvement does not focus or rely on workarounds,” Schoenhard wrote. “Workarounds may mask the symptoms of poor access and, although they may aid in meeting performance measures, they do not serve our veterans.” Continued
The bush embeds in the agencies especially the VA?, as the hockey puck would say, "you betcha!", wink wink!
The Veterans Administration compensation unit is a despicable division of VA. They are an entity unto themselves and answer to no one. Even the President and Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs refuse to exert any contol over this organization wha so ever.
ReplyDeleteI contracted NHL due to exposure to Agent Orange while stationed in Thailand at a base called Nakhon Phanom RTAFB. Claim initiated 10 January 2005. C-27-219-809. Louisville, Kentucky VARO.
I served for twenty years. My health is completely destroyed. I wish to thank all those responsible in our Government for participating in Chemical Warfare.
Randall, while understanding your rage, as a vet myself but luckily a somewhat healthy one or maybe, your rage is really pointed at the wrong entity, they do what the Country Gives them and can't go beyond!! That's the Real "Support" that this country gives to it's soldiers who serve, ignore once home, costs to much!!!
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