Federal Reports

This Office of Inspector General Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection Program report describes the results of a focused evaluation of the outpatient care provided at the El Paso VA Health Care System in Texas. This evaluation focused on four key operational areas:• Leadership and organizational risks• Quality, safety, and value• Medical staff privileging• Environment of careThe OIG issued three recommendations for improvement in two areas:1. Quality, safety, and value• Patient safety events2. Medical staff privileging• Focused and Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluations

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) Care in the Community healthcare inspection program examines clinical and administrative processes associated with providing quality outpatient healthcare to veterans. This report provides a focused evaluation of Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 7 and its oversight of the quality of care delivered in community-based outpatient clinics and through its community care referrals to non-VA providers. Although it is difficult to measure the value of well-delivered and coordinated care between VA and non-VA providers, the findings in this report may help VISN leaders identify vulnerable areas of community care that, if properly addressed, should improve healthcare quality for veterans.The OIG reviewed care coordination (congestive heart failure management), primary and mental health care (diagnostic evaluations following positive screenings for depression or alcohol misuse), quality of care (home dialysis), and women’s health (mammography care and communication of results). The OIG issued two recommendations for improvement in two areas, quality of care and women’s health:• Monitoring the quality of home dialysis contracted clinical services for patients receiving non-VA home dialysis services• Ensuring that ordering providers communicate normal mammography results to patients within 14 calendar days

The objective of our audit was to determine the extent to which Federal Student Aid (FSA) had processes for planning and managing the transition to the Next Generation (Next Gen) loan servicing environment to achieve the project’s intended outcomes.Although FSA had processes in place for planning and managing the transition to the Next Gen loan servicing environment, FSA did not perform key steps within those processes or follow best practices for acquisition planning that could have better ensured the proper planning and managing of the transition.

NASA utilizes thousands of software products from hundreds of vendors, enabling Agency scientists and engineers to drive advances in science, technology, aeronautics, Earth studies, and human and space exploration. In this audit we assessed whether NASA is managing its software assets in an effective and efficient manner while maintaining compliance with applicable requirements and security best practices.

Since our 2020 audit, the Department of Homeland Security has made progress towards fulfilling the 13 responsibilities in the GDA.