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Open Recommendations

Veterans Community Care Program: VA Needs to Strengthen Contract Oversight

GAO-24-106390
Aug 21, 2024
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Veterans Affairs The Secretary of VA should ensure that the Assistant Under Secretary for Health for IVC establishes a complete set of documentation for oversight of the Community Care contracts, including documentation of clear and complete procedures and the identification of roles and responsibilities. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Veterans Affairs The Secretary of VA should ensure that the Assistant Under Secretary for Health for IVC assesses whether the oversight and reporting responsibilities of the program manager position outlined in the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plans are being effectively fulfilled by current processes and, if not, updates the plans as appropriate. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Veterans Affairs The Secretary of VA should ensure that the Assistant Under Secretary for Health for IVC develops a formal lessons learned process, consistent with leading practices, for the Community Care contracts to inform VA's plans for the next set of contracts and its continuing oversight efforts. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Veterans Health Care: VA's Video Telehealth Access Program Would Benefit from Performance Goals and Measures

GAO-24-106743
Aug 01, 2024
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Office of the Under Secretary for Health The Under Secretary of Health should ensure the Office of Connected Care develops performance goals and related measures for the ATLAS Program that are objective, quantifiable, and measurable. (Recommendation 1)
Open
As of September 2024, we have not received an update from VA on actions taken to address this recommendation. When we confirm what action the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Office of the Under Secretary for Health The Under Secretary of Health should ensure the Office of Connected Care uses the information collected for the performance goals and measures to assess program effectiveness and efficiency on an ongoing basis and make any needed improvements. (Recommendation 2)
Open
As of September 2024, we have not received an update from VA on actions taken to address this recommendation. When we confirm what action the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Veterans Health Care: Opportunities Exist to Improve Assessment of Network Adequacy for Mental Health

GAO-24-106410
Jun 03, 2024
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Veterans Affairs The Undersecretary for Health should assess the risks associated with VA's methodology for calculating specialty care network adequacy and revise its approach accordingly. (Recommendation 1)
Open
As of September 2024, we have not received an update from VA on actions taken to address this recommendation. When we confirm what action the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Veterans Affairs The Undersecretary for Health should ensure that VA facility staff systematically capture the reasons for community care appointment scheduling challenges and use this information to help address those challenges. (Recommendation 2)
Open
As of September 2024, we have not received an update from VA on actions taken to address this recommendation. When we confirm what action the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Veterans Health: VA Should Improve Its Monitoring of Severe Maternal Complications and Mental Health Screenings

GAO-24-106209
Jan 16, 2024
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Veterans Affairs The Secretary of Veterans Affairs should ensure that as OWH begins monitoring SMM on an ongoing basis, it disaggregates and reviews data on trends in SMM by veteran characteristics, such as race and ethnicity, age, or whether veterans lived in a rural area. (Recommendation 1)
Open
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) concurred with this recommendation. In July 2024, VA shared certain data it had compiled on severe maternal morbidity among veterans by race, ethnicity, and the location of their residences (rural or urban) for fiscal years 2019 through 2023 and the first quarter of fiscal year 2024, among other information. We will continue to monitor the agency's progress addressing the recommendation, including VA's plans to develop quarterly reports with these data as well to collect additional data by veterans' age.
Department of Veterans Affairs The Secretary of Veterans Affairs should ensure that OWH finalizes the development of and implements a systematic process to compile and review data on MCC screening of veterans for mental health conditions on an ongoing basis. This process should include data on MCCs' completion of required mental health screenings, as well as screening results. (Recommendation 2)
Open
VA concurred with this recommendation. VA indicated in its agency comments that it expected to develop a process to compile and review data on when maternity care coordinators complete required mental health screenings as well as the screening results. As of August 2024, VA stated that it was in the process of refining a dashboard it plans to use for this purpose. According to VA, these refinements, which VA indicated it expects to complete in December 2024, will address end user requirements and maximize the dashboard's effectiveness and report functionality. GAO will continue to monitor the status of this recommendation and consider VA's actions once completed.

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