The U.S. Veterans Health Administration reached a hiring goal of 3.1 percent in just six months.
“I’m proud to announce we have met our fiscal year growth,” Veterans Affairs Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal said in a media roundtable Tuesday afternoon.
The VHA welcomed more than 11,000 employees and now employs 391,500.
“We are knocking last year out of the water in terms of hiring and future performance,” Elnahal said.
The VHA is also seeing a higher retention rate. In March 2023, only a 2.9 percent loss rate was experienced, and 4.6 percent overall. In 2022, the department felt a loss rate of 5.7 percent.
“We do think that retention is higher for a lot of reasons,” Elnahal said. The job market calming down and the department’s focus on retention were mentioned.
All seven of what the VHA considers big occupations in the U.S. saw net growth in the fiscal year, especially medical support, which was needed after many left the field during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The VHA had a goal of 3 percent improvement of average new patient wait time at facilities across the country. Primary care facilities that met the goal represent 53.7 percent, while 40 percent of mental health facilities and 20.7 percent of specialty care facilities met the goal.
“We don’t expect all facilities to meet that goal,” Elnahal said. He said specialty care is lagging because of the VHA’s inability to recruit specialists for positions.
The VHA saw a curious increase from quarter 2 to quarter 3 in demand for appointments. In quarter 1, 1.5 million appointments were made, but 1.67 million in quarter 2.
“That means significantly more demand,” Elnahal said. Despite the increase in demand, VHA saw improvement in wait times for patients.
He said the administration can expect the number of appointments to increase quarter to quarter this fiscal year thanks to the PACT Act. The Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act expands VA health care and benefits to veterans who were exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxic substances while serving the U.S. military. The law adds to the list of health conditions caused by exposures to these substances.
In improving time to schedule community care, the VHA had another 3 percent improvement goal. Primary care facilities that saw improvement were 58 percent, 45 percent of mental health facilities and 57 percent of specialty care.
“This is a major area of focus for us,” Elnahal said.
Perhaps the most important indicator is a survey completed by veterans about their satisfaction with care. The VHA’s goal is 80 percent satisfaction at each facility. Primary care facilities reported 93 percent satisfaction, mental health facilities have 87 percent and specialty care reported 100 percent.
Veterans say in the survey that care is timely. Eighty-four percent surveyed said they trust the VA community care to address their medical needs.
Elnahal said the VHA’s Rideshare program in use since August 2020 to get homeless veterans to doctor’s appointments will end May 11, 2023 with the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency in the United States.
“We are concerned about the absence of this authority,” he said.
The program provided 750,000 rides for veterans.
“Veterans will feel it unless something is done,” Elnahal said.
Elnahal said the VA must stop providing the program while the nation is not in a public health emergency. The VA is not requesting funding from the federal government, but continued authority to provide the program for homeless veterans.
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Rebecca Barnabi
