Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection of the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System in Little Rock

This Office of Inspector General (OIG) Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection Program report describes the results of a focused evaluation of the inpatient and outpatient care provided at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, which includes the John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans’ Hospital (Little Rock), Eugene J. Towbin Healthcare Center (North Little Rock), and multiple outpatient clinics in Arkansas. This evaluation focused on five key operational areas:• Leadership and organizational risks• Quality, safety, and value• Medical staff privileging• Environment of care• Mental health (emergency department and urgent care center suicide prevention initiatives)The OIG issued five recommendations for improvement in three areas:1. Quality, Safety, and Value• Root cause analysis2. Medical Staff Privileging• Defined time frames for Focused Professional Practice Evaluations3. Mental Health• Comprehensive Suicide Risk Evaluations• Suicide safety plans• Follow-up for patients at risk for suicide