Its history
The US Veterans Administration Healthcare System is the largest healthcare system in the world, which traces its roots back to the year 1636, the time when the Pequot Indians and the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony were at a war (Al-Assaf, & Schmele, 1993). Then in 1776, the Continental Congress has provided pensions to the disabled soldiers. In the year 1811, first medical and domiciliary facility for the veterans was, however, authorized. The veteran assistance program was extended in the 19th century for including the benefits for veterans, dependents and widows. In 1917, Congress introduced new system of the veterans, and in 1930, the Veterans Administration was established (Miller, 2012). The in the year 1973, the National Cemetery System was transferred from the Department of the Army to the Veterans Administration. In 1985, the Department of Veteran Affairs was established. President Obama then appointed Eric K. Shinseki as the secretary, that lead to the Veterans Administration into a highly effectual 21st century organization, which can now better serve the veterans through its services.
Its relationship to other entities in the US federal government
VA is enjoying good relations with the other entities of the US federal government, and working in collaboration with them. According to the Department of Veteran Affairs (2011), VA is working with the Department of Health and Human Services i.e., HHS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention i.e., CDC, Health Resources and Services Administration i.e., HRSA, and Department of Housing and Urban Development i.e., HUD. In order to ensure health care of patients suffering from HIV/AIDS, VA is working with the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Further, it is also working in collaboration with the Department of Housing and Urban Development for the treatment and prevention programs, and for the homeless programs. Further, it is working with the CDC, in consultation with the HRSA , SAMHSA i.e., the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and HHS for the development and implementation of a recommendation plan in order to reduce the proportion of the HIV positive individuals having un-diagnosed HIV infection.
Its planning and budget process
The US Veterans Administration Healthcare System has devised a program of the regionalized planning and budgeting. However, the publicity that is surrounding the Veterans regionalization indicates idealized capability and the potential for sharing resources, and the combined planning within every newly formed medical district of Veteran Administration. Furthermore, when the program reality is examined on the national basis, and on district basis then it indicates the fact that there is also a use of the resource allocation methodology. So, the district program is, however, a collation of the budget of individual hospital, and the plans for yielding the budgets as well as plans of the district.
How it works/runs: from a Veteran’s perspective (what kind of services provide)
The Veterans Administration of the United States is operating the biggest integrated health system of nation, having about 1,700 hospitals, living centers of community, clinics, re-adjustment counseling centers, domiciliaries and several other facilities. The Veteran Administration, however administers several services and benefits that helps in the provision of the financial as well as other assistance to the Veterans, survivors, dependents and the service members. Further, VA also provide compensation, home loans, education and training, life insurance, and vocational rehabilitation to the Veterans, and service members etc.
How it tracks performance and quality, Describe which one is better VA healthcare or privet healthcare?
In order to track the performance and the quality, the U.S. Veterans Health Administration is using Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), which is an innovative and novel integration of the research related to the health services, delivery of the clinical care, and policy that are designed for improving the quality efficiency, and outcomes of the Veterans Health Administration health care through the implementation and identification of the evidence-based practices in daily settings of the health care (McQueen, Mittman, & Demakis, 2004).
VA healthcare is better than thee private health care, this is because of the fact that VA has made comprehensive efforts in order to develop a strong and reliable infrastructure for data and information systems, a program for continuously measuring and reporting the practices, incentives and performance of health care in order to encourage the ongoing betterment and improvement (McQueen, Mittman, & Demakis, 2004). Further, it is better due to the fact that it has designed mechanisms for identifying, implementing, and evaluating the evidence based programs and practices for refining and improving the organizational policies, processes and the structures associated with the health care delivery.
Latest issues, or “In the News” topics
Recently it has been claimed that the Veteran Health Administration is not performing its duties efficiently. There are millions of veterans that are not getting treatment and health care on time, the process is, however, further eroded by waves of the wounded soldiers from Afghanistan and Iraq that returned from the previous wars. The patients with the chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, the cardiovascular disease, and those that need long term treatment are also finding it difficult to get proper treatment. There are about 60, 000 Veterans, who are facing delay in receiving the health care (Kesling, 2014). The Veterans are demanding medical services, and the demand is increasing day by day. This can be analyzed from the fact that the number of the out-patient visitors to the Veteran Administration health care has increased about 26% in last 5 years, and the number of the staff doctors and the nurses has increased just by 18% (Shear & Oppel Jr, 2014). This is reflecting poor management of the Veteran Health Administration.
Describe the Connecticut VA Healthcare system
According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (2013), The Connecticut VA Healthcare system encompasses the Ambulatory Care Centre and inpatient facility in the West haven, six Community Based Outpatient Clinics i.e. CBOC that include Danbury CBOC, John J. McGuirk VA Outpatient Clinic - New London, Stamford CBOC, Waterbury CBOC, Willimantic CBOC, and Winsted CBOC, and Ambulatory Care Centre. The Errera Community Care Center of the Connecticut VA Healthcare system provides a continuum of the medical, psychological and the educational services, which range from the acute to the long term treatment and the job training. It also provide the services such as housing, intervention in crisis, arts therapy creative and recreational, and case management. Furthermore, Connecticut VA Healthcare system has developed affiliations with the Yale University School of Medicine, and The University of Connecticut Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, that allow Connecticut VA to participate in the training and education of above 675 dentists and physicians every year. Further, affiliations with above 150 schools permits Connecticut VA to train above 685 students in the allied health disciplines including pharmacy, social work, laboratory medicine, and the nuclear medicine.
References
McQueen, Lynn., Mittman, Brian S., & Demakis, John G. (2004). Overview of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI). Journal of American Medical Informatics Association, 11(5), 339-343
Shear, Michael D., & Oppel Jr, Richard A. (2014). V.A. Chief Resigns in Face of Furor on Delayed Care. The New York Times. Retrieved from:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/31/us/politics/eric-shinseki-resigns-as-veterans-affairs-head.html?_r=0
Al-Assaf, A.F., & Schmele, June. (1994). The Textbook of Total Quality in Healthcare. CRC Press LLC, USA
Miller, Thomas W. (2012). The Praeger Handbook of Veterans' Health: History, Challenges, Issues, and Developments, Volume 1. ABC-CLIO LLC, USA
http://www.aids.gov/federal-resources/national-hiv-aids-strategy/nhas-operational-plan-va.pdf
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2013). VA Connecticut Healthcare System. Retrieved from:
http://www.connecticut.va.gov/about/index.asp
Kesling, Ben. (2014). Nearly 60,000 Veterans Face Delays Receiving Health Care—VA Audit. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from:
http://online.wsj.com/articles/over-100-000-veterans-face-delays-receiving-health-careva-audit-1402339138#
