Veterans Administration: Identifying Physicians With License Sanctions--An Incomplete Process
HRD-88-47
Published: May 13, 1988. Publicly Released: May 13, 1988.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO examined the Veterans Administration's (VA) Office of Inspector General's (OIG) methodology for identifying VA physicians with license sanctions.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Administration | The Administrator of Veterans Affairs should require the Chief Medical Director to establish a complete physician database to be used to check the licenses of physicians authorized or paid by VA to treat veterans. This database should include all physicians authorized or paid by VA to treat veterans. |
Closed – Implemented
VA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) entered into a memo of understanding (MOU) in November 1990. Final regulations and VA circulars were published on October 28, 1991.
|
| Veterans Administration | The Administrator of Veterans Affairs should require the Chief Medical Director to establish a complete physician database to be used to check the licenses of physicians authorized or paid by VA to treat veterans. The database should be verified with information at individual medical centers. |
Closed – Implemented
VA and HHS entered into a MOU in November 1990. Final regulations and VA circulars were published on October 28, 1991.
|
| Veterans Administration | The Administrator of Veterans Affairs should require the Chief Medical Director to determine whether there are alternatives that would permit VA to keep the results of the DMS biennial reviews while complying with Office of Management and Budget computer-matching guidelines. |
Closed – Implemented
VA and HHS entered into a MOU in November 1990. Final regulations and VA circulars were published on October 28, 1991.
|
| Veterans Administration | The Administrator of Veterans Affairs should require the Chief Medical Director to include physicians' years of graduation in the database to expedite verification of the names matched with the federation's names. |
Closed – Implemented
Physicians' graduation year is element in the Personnel and Accounting Integrated Data System and will be used in conducting the match with the Federation.
|
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Topics
ContractorsDatabasesFederal records managementLicensesManagement information systemsMedical feesMonitoringPhysiciansSanctionsVeterans hospitals