VA Staffing Strategy: Veteran Choice, Community Care, and Workforce Needs

Veteran Choice in Care

• 🎯 Veteran choice is paramount in balancing direct VA care and community care, as established by Congress in the Mission Act.
• 💡 The VA's responsibility is to ensure eligible veterans can freely choose between high-performing VA direct care and high-functioning community care.
• 🏥 The bureaucratic process for obtaining community care has historically been time-consuming, but the implementation of the 'best medical interest' policy aims to streamline referrals when a doctor and veteran agree it's necessary.

Balancing Direct and Community Care

• ⚙️ The VA healthcare system has evolved from a single-engine direct care model to a multi-faceted system including community and referral care.
• ⚖️ Balancing these care activities is essential and should be based on the veteran's needs and location, ensuring access to specialized care even if it's outside the VA.
• 🚀 The goal is to provide veterans with the care they need, where they need it, whether through VA's specialized services like prosthetic care or through community referrals for specialties not available internally.

VA Workforce and Staffing Strategy

• ⚠️ Over the past five years, the VA has experienced significant swings in workforce hiring, with no consistent long-term staffing strategy.
• 📊 Data points and trends to determine VHA's workforce needs will focus on improving patient access and patient outcomes.
• 📈 Despite significant hiring between 2021 and 2024, wait times for primary care, mental health, and specialty care have increased, indicating a need for better staffing models.
• 🛠️ The nominee intends to work on establishing a clear workforce structure with manning documents and standard staffing models to ensure consistent staffing levels across the VHA.