Healthcare Inspection Inappropriate Research & Development Data Entries Affecting Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation (VERA) Funding VA Maryland Health Care System Baltimore, MD

The purpose of this review was to determine the merit of allegations concerning whether VA Research and Development (R&D) expenses were being over-reported by VA medical centers (VAMCs) to gain increased reimbursement funding. This review was initiated after an Administrative Investigation Board (AIB) found inappropriate reporting of R&D projects that increased the Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation (VERA) funding for R&D expenses at the VA Maryland Health Care System (VAMHCS) by $15,500,000. The scope of this review was limited due to underlying R&D data integrity and validation issues which impacted the FY09 VERA. Specifically, the Office of Research and Development (ORD) did not validate the FY07 R&D data used to support amounts reported in the FY09 VERA. Additionally, ORD was unable to explain variances between data reported in the Enterprise Project Management Information System (ePROMISe) and Research and Development Information System (RDIS) and other supporting data used to substantiate FY09 VERA data reported to the Allocation Resource Center (ARC). We recommended that the Chief Research and Development Officer (CRADO) ensure that ORD establishes a process that validates ePROMISe and RDIS data with the VISN CFOs prior to submission to the ARC and a R&D management and tracking system to help facilities meet Congressional and other reporting requirements. Additionally, historical records should be maintained so that ORD has the ability to support and explain any data variances between supporting data and the data reported in the VERA Table 8 allocation. The Under Secretary for Health concurred with the findings and recommendations.