Healthcare Inspection Oversight of Veterans Health Administration Quality Assurance Programs and Contract Services

As requested by the Senate Appropriations Committee, the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) Office of Healthcare Inspections (OHI) completed a review of Veterans Health Administration quality assurance and oversight programs, including peer review activities at VA medical centers and guidance in place to ensure proper oversight of contract services. VHA strives to ensure high quality through regional and national oversight within the organization and in cooperation with external certifying groups. OIG oversight activities include ongoing assessments of the processes and outcomes of healthcare delivery. OIG also evaluates VA contracts through audits, investigations, and inspections, and conducts reviews of contracts awarded by VA’s National Acquisition Center. Lapses in the effectiveness of VHA oversight of quality assurance programs and of contract services have been described in recent OIG reports. For this review we examined pertinent VHA directives, handbooks, and memoranda, meeting minutes, and other publications, and interviewed VHA executives. VHA has extensive programs in place for the oversight of medical delivery at its facilities and collaborates with numerous external agencies and with the OIG. Substantial organizational innovations are currently being initiated to improve the effectiveness of professional peer review and contracting. OIG will continue to monitor VHA’s progress in these areas. We made no recommendations.