VA health care: Office of Rural Health would benefit from improved communication and developing performance goals : report to congressional requesters
- Collection:
- Health Policy and Services Research
- Alternate Title(s):
- Office of Rural Health would benefit from improved communication and developing performance goals: report to congressional requesters
- Contributor(s):
- United States. Government Accountability Office, issuing body.
- Publication:
- Washington, DC : United States Government Accountability Office, May 2023
- Language(s):
- English
- Format:
- Text
- Subject(s):
- Government Regulation Legislation, Medical Rural Health Services -- economics Rural Health Services -- organization & administration United States United States. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Genre(s):
- Technical Report
- Abstract:
- Why GAO did this study. Access to health care is a critical issue for the 2.7 million veterans enrolled in VHA and living in rural areas. A variety of factors may affect rural veterans’ access, such as distances to health care facilities and staffing shortages. The Office of Rural Health’s mission is to improve the health and well-being of rural veterans. It is one of the main offices responsible for addressing the health care needs of rural veterans. GAO was asked to review how the Office of Rural Health carries out its responsibilities. Among other objectives, this report examines the initiatives and research projects the office funded in fiscal year 2022. It also examines how the office communicates funding opportunities, and examines the office’s efforts to assess its progress towards achieving its mission. GAO reviewed Office of Rural Health documentation, such as its fiscal year 2022 budget data (the most recent data at the time of GAO’s review), research agenda, and its strategic plan. GAO also interviewed Office of Rural Health officials and officials from four selected VHA health care delivery systems selected for variation by geography, rurality, funding, and partnerships. What GAO recommends. GAO is making two recommendations for the Office of Rural Health to 1) require resource centers to communicate research funding opportunities across VA and 2) develop performance goals that reflect leading practices. VA concurred with the recommendations and identified steps to implement them.
- Copyright:
- The National Library of Medicine believes this item to be in the public domain. (More information)
- Extent:
- 1 online resource (1 PDF file (iii, 38 pages))
- Illustrations:
- Illustrations
- NLM Unique ID:
- 9918627771606676 (See catalog record)
- Permanent Link:
- http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/9918627771606676