Combined Assessment Program Review of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut

The purpose of the review was to evaluate selected operations, focusing on patient care administration and quality management (QM). During the review, we provided fraud and integrity awareness training to 314 system employees. The review covered five operational activities. The system complied with selected standards in the following three activities: (1) pharmacy operations, (2) QM program, and (3) survey of healthcare experiences of patients. We identified the system’s improved outpatient clinic access through system redesign as an organizational strength. We made recommendations for improvement in the following activities: Environment of Care – Ensure that managers initiate pest control measures, seal a hole between a nutrition kitchen and a housekeeping closet, clean bathrooms and showers regularly to prevent mold, replace standard screws with tamper-proof screws, reduce the risk of fires in clothes dryer vents, and eliminate potential exposure to secondhand smoke. Emergency Department and Urgent Care Centers – Ensure compliance with Veterans Health Administration and system policies governing inter-facility and intra-facility patient transfers.