WASHINGTON, June 19, 2014 – Acting Veterans Affairs Secretary Sloan D. Gibson today directed all of the department’s medical center and health care system directors to conduct monthly in-person reviews of scheduling practices in every clinic within their jurisdiction.
Site inspections will include observing daily scheduling processes and interacting with scheduling staff to ensure all policies are being followed to deliver veterans the timely care they have earned, VA officials said.
“Our top priority is getting veterans off of wait lists and into clinics,” Gibson said. “We need our folks in the facilities to work directly with staff, answer all questions, and ensure our veterans receive the timely care they have earned.
“Veterans must trust their health care system,” he continued, “and these reviews are an important step towards restoring integrity in all our scheduling activities.”
In addition to monthly reviews of more than 900 Veterans Health Administration facilities nationwide, Veterans Integrated Service Network directors will conduct similar visits to at least one medical center within their area of responsibility every 30 days, completing visits to all medical centers in their network every 90 days, officials said.
This action follows the VA’s release of results from its nationwide access audit, along with facility-level patient access data.