Federal Reports

This Office of Inspector General (OIG) Healthcare Facility Inspection program report describes the results of a focused evaluation of the care provided at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System in California. 

This evaluation focused on five key content domains:
     •    Culture
     •    Environment of care
     •    Patient safety
     •    Primary care
     •    Veteran-centered safety net

The OIG issued four recommendations for VA to correct identified deficiencies in two domains:
   1.    Environment of care
     •    Staff access to shared bathrooms
     •    Keeping exterior doors closed
     •    Separate clean and dirty storage
   2.    Patient safety
     •    Service-level workflows for test result communication

This Office of Inspector General (OIG) Healthcare Facility Inspection program report describes the results of a focused evaluation of the care provided at the Lovell Federal Healthcare System in North Chicago, Illinois. 

This evaluation focused on five key content domains:
     •    Culture
     •    Environment of care
     •    Patient safety
     •    Primary care
     •    Veteran-centered safety net

The OIG issued three recommendations for VA to correct identified deficiencies in two domains:
   1.    Environment of care
     •    Endoscope storage
   2.    Patient safety
     •    Service-level workflows for test result communication
     •    External Peer Review Program deficiencies

We conducted this review on behalf of the Federal Audit Executive Council’s Cross-Cutting Issues Subcommittee which was established to support the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) Audit Committee by coordinating government-wide activities that promote economy and efficiency in Federal programs and operations and address areas of weakness and vulnerability regarding fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement. The Subcommittee also supports CIGIE by assisting in its statutory responsibility to address integrity, economy and effectiveness issues that transcend individual Government agencies. In October 2023, the Subcommittee formed a working group consisting of representatives from six OIGs to begin a collaboration effort to inform Federal agencies of best practices and aid Federal agencies with implementing cloud security in an effective manner based on findings, recommendations and conclusions identified in Federal oversight reports.

This Office of Inspector General (OIG) Healthcare Facility Inspection program report describes the results of a focused evaluation of the care provided at the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System in California. 

This evaluation focused on five key content domains:
     •    Culture
     •    Environment of care
     •    Patient safety
     •    Primary care
     •    Veteran-centered safety net

The OIG issued eight recommendations for VA to correct identified deficiencies in two domains:
   1.    Environment of care
     •    Community living center dementia unit shower room safety
     •    Emergency Department patient privacy assessment
     •    Eyewash station cleanliness and function
   2.    Patient safety
     •    Test result communication policy
     •    Service-level workflows
     •    VHA policy change processes
     •    Test result communication performance metrics
     •    Quality and Patient Safety Council meeting attendance

The audit objectives were to determine whether program funds were managed in accordance with the ARC and Federal grant requirements.

Why We Did This Report

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General conducted this audit to determine whether the EPA’s grants workforce planning efforts are in accordance with federal requirements and address the workload for grants administered under annual and supplemental appropriations.
 

Summary of Findings

The EPA lacks a plan to address its grants workforce needs and the challenges associated with the volume of grants awarded through annual and supplemental appropriations.

NASA is working with SpaceX and Blue Origin to develop lunar landers that will enable crew to descend to the lunar surface, temporarily live and work there, and ascend back to lunar orbit. While NASA has controlled contract costs and effectively collaborated with the providers, lander development challenges will delay planned Artemis launch dates. NASA is also taking actions to mitigate and prevent hazards associated with the landers, but does not currently have the capability to rescue crew should they become stranded in space or on the lunar surface.