Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection of the Phoenix VA Health Care System in Arizona

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 Phoenix VA Health Care System, which includes the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center and multiple outpatient clinics in Arizona. 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 six recommendations for improvement in four areas:1. Leadership and organizational risks• Institutional disclosures2. Quality, safety, and value• Peer review committee recommendations for improvement actions• Review of peer review committee’s summary analysis3. Medical staff privileging• Professional practice evaluations4. Environment of care• Inspections• Video recording