Audit of Medical Support Assistant Workforce Management at the Phoenix VA Health Care System
U.S. Representative Kyrsten Sinema asked the OIG to evaluate the effectiveness of the Phoenix VA Health Care System’s (PVAHCS) management of its outpatient Medical Support Assistant (MSA) workforce. The OIG examined two allegations involving MSAs reported to the OIG but did not substantiate these allegations. The PVAHCS needs to ensure its outpatient MSA operations align with clinical operations. PVAHCS’s Health Administration Service (HAS) couldn’t account for the number and clinical location of almost 60 percent of its MSAs. The Office of Personnel Management’s hiring model allows agencies 80 days to fill a vacancy and VA’s metric allows 60 days to fill a vacancy. The OIG was not able to assess whether the PVAHCS filled MSA vacancies in accordance with these metrics because its Human Resources office did not maintain adequate documentation. Despite the inadequate documentation, the OIG concluded that the PVAHCS generally did not meet these metrics. HAS failed to place newly hired MSAs on performance plans within the required 60 days of starting their jobs. The PVAHCS did not use available employee survey data to improve MSA retention. HAS lacked effective processes to evaluate applicants and place MSAs on performance plans in a timely manner. The PVAHCS also did not implement processes to ensure MSA survey data was used to improve MSA retention. The OIG recommended the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 22 Director ensures the PVAHCS Director implements controls over its MSA resources, records accurate MSA hiring data, and uses incentives to hire human resources specialists. The OIG also recommended the PVAHCS Director implements practices to improve the timeliness of MSA selections, establishes controls to ensure MSAs receive timely performance plans, and evaluates the potential use of survey data. The VISN 22 Director concurred with these recommendations.
---
"Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection Program Review of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas" Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (OIG) in Washington, D.C., United States
Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection Program Review of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas
The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a focused evaluation of the quality of care delivered in the inpatient and outpatient settings of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System (facility). The review covered key clinical and administrative processes associated with promoting quality care—Leadership and Organizational Risks; Quality, Safety, and Value; Medication Management: Anticoagulation Therapy; Coordination of Care: Inter-Facility Transfers; Environment of Care; High-Risk Processes: Moderate Sedation; and Long-Term Care: Community Nursing Home Oversight. OIG also provided crime awareness briefings to 105 employees. The facility had stable executive leadership with the exception of the vacancy for the Associate Director; however, it appears that the vacancy has not impacted the provision of quality care. Facility leaders were actively engaged with employees and patients and were working to improve satisfaction scores. Organizational leaders support patient safety, quality care, and other positive outcomes. OIG’s review of accreditation organization findings, sentinel events, disclosures, Patient Safety Indicator data, and Strategic Analytics for Improvement and Learning (SAIL) results did not identify any substantial organizational risk factors. Although the senior leadership team was knowledgeable about selected SAIL metrics, the leaders should continue to take actions to improve performance of the Quality of Care and Efficiency metrics likely contributing to the facility’s current 3-star rating. OIG noted findings in two of the areas of clinical operations reviewed and issued three recommendations that are attributable to the Chief of Staff, Nurse Executive, and Assistant Director. The identified areas with deficiencies are: (1) Environment of Care • Safety and infection prevention on the cardiac intensive care unit at the parent facility • Locked mental health unit employee and Interdisciplinary Safety Inspection Team member training (2) Long-Term Care: Community Nursing Home Oversight • Clinical visits for patients residing in community nursing homes
This email was sent to garyleeparker60@gmail.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (OIG)
---
No comments:
Post a Comment