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Report File
Date Issued
Submitting OIG
Department of Veterans Affairs OIG
Agencies Reviewed/Investigated
Department of Veterans Affairs
Components
Veterans Health Administration
Report Number
23-01737-205
Report Description

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) Care in the Community program evaluates selected performance elements of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Veterans Community Care Program. The resulting report describes selected care coordination activities required to initiate and process referrals for non-VA care (community care). The OIG reviewed community care processes in five VISN 9 medical facilities with a community care program from June 12 through July 13, 2023. The OIG evaluated the facilities’ processes for community care referral and care coordination in the following domains:
1. Leadership and Administration of Community Care
2. Community Care Diagnostic Imaging Results
3. Administratively Closed Community Care Consults
4. Community Care Provider Requests for Additional Services
5. Care Coordination: Scheduling and Communication with Veterans Referred for Community Care

The OIG issued 14 recommendations for improvement across all five domains as follows:
1. Leadership and Administration of Community Care
• Operating model staffing tool reassessment
• Patient safety event reporting
• Briefing the oversight council
• Document scanning
2. Community Care Diagnostic Imaging Results
• Diagnostic imaging result attachment to required note
• Significant findings alert use for abnormal results
3. Administratively Closed Community Care Consults
• Obtaining medical documentation
• Significant findings alert use when closing consults without documentation
4. Community Care Provider Requests for Additional Services
• Requests for services processing
5. Care Coordination: Scheduling and Communication with Veterans Referred for Community Care
• Level of care assignments
• Care coordination documentation
• Timely update of consult status to active
• Timely appointment scheduling
• Appointment attendance confirmation

Report Type
Inspection / Evaluation
Location

AR
United States

GA
United States

IN
United States

KY
United States

MS
United States

TN
United States

VA
United States

Number of Recommendations
14
Questioned Costs
$0
Funds for Better Use
$0
Report updated under NDAA 5274
No

Open Recommendations

This report has 7 open recommendations.
Recommendation Number Significant Recommendation Recommended Questioned Costs Recommended Funds for Better Use Additional Details
01 Yes $0 $0

The Veterans Integrated Service Network Director, in conjunction with facility directors, ensures employees complete the operating model staffing tool reassessment every 90 days.

04 Yes $0 $0

The Veterans Integrated Service Network Director, in conjunction with facility directors, ensures VHA staff scan all community care documents into the patient’s electronic health record within five business days of receipt.

05 Yes $0 $0

The Veterans Integrated Service Network Director, in conjunction with facility directors, ensures facility staff attach community diagnostic imaging results to the designated Community Care Consult Result note.

07 Yes $0 $0

The Veterans Integrated Service Network Director, in conjunction with facility directors, ensures facility community care staff make required attempts to obtain medical documentation within 90 days of the appointment after administratively closing consults without medical documentation.

09 Yes $0 $0

The Veterans Integrated Service Network Director, in conjunction with facility directors, ensures facility community care staff process community care providers’ requests for services within three business days of receipt.

11 Yes $0 $0

The Veterans Integrated Service Network Director, in conjunction with facility directors, ensures facility community care staff create and use the Community Care–Care Coordination Plan note for documenting all care coordination activities for consults with an assigned level of care other than basic.

13 Yes $0 $0

The Veterans Integrated Service Network Director, in conjunction with facility directors, ensures facility community care staff schedule patients for community care appointments within the required time frames.

Department of Veterans Affairs OIG

United States