VA’s performance depends on the contributions of each employee. Therefore, VA is working toward developing more effective accountability systems for programs and for individuals to ensure day-to-day activities remain focused on achieving the Department’s strategic goals.

For VA to hold programs and individuals accountable for results and to be successful, we must ensure that:

• performance objectives are clearly stated and effective strategies for achieving those objectives are identified;
• progress against those objectives is regularly measured and reported, and variances acted upon;
• performance is used to manage the organization; and
• appropriate recognition, rewards, and incentives are used.

Departmental executives developed an integrated strategic planning schedule that identifies a structured framework for planning, budgeting, and accountability. One of the cornerstones of this approach is a quarterly review of how well we are progressing toward achievement of our key performance goals. These meetings are led by the Secretary and involve key executives throughout the Department.

VHA improves quality through a comprehensive performance management system that (1) aligns VHA’s vision and mission with quantifiable strategic goals; (2) defines measures to track progress in meeting those goals; (3) holds management accountable through performance agreements for results achieved; and (4) advances quality with the context of patient-centered care across the continuum of care, while maintaining sound resource management.

In the past, the performance of executives in VHA was evaluated by a wide variety of inconsistent standards that were difficult to measure. In recognition of the need for a more rigorous approach to performance assessment, as well as the need for the system to demonstrate that it provides service and quality that meets or exceeds community standards, a performance contract system was initiated in 1996.

Individual performance agreements are negotiated between the Under Secretary for Health and all senior executives in VHA. To be effective, these performance agreements are designed to focus on a small number of items (under 15). In addition to quantifiable performance targets, executives are held accountable for achieving goals pertaining to research, continuing education for VHA employees, patient safety, and areas of organizational emphasis such as reducing risk and improving workplace safety.

Additionally, VHA has developed a High Performance Development Model (HPDM) for employees. The model is centered around the mission of providing health care for veterans. It aligns VHA around a set of eight core competencies which would be used to develop training, select new employees and serve as a basis for promotion decisions. The competencies could change as strategic objectives change. The model facilitates career development through continuous learning, coaching/mentoring, and continuous assessment throughout a career span. High performance, the keystone of the model, is the consistent, dominant criterion for hiring and promotion at all levels and is measured by demonstration of the strategically important core competencies, the organizational glue that aligns VHA.

Additionally, VHA executives will be evaluated on the set of core competencies through use of a management tool called Multi-source Assessment Feedback System (MAFS), a 360-degree feedback instrument. VHA, through HPDM and MAFS, will develop and reward leaders who can create new organizations and facilitate rapid change, who are customer-focused, who can create learning organizations, who coach and mentor, and who are accountable for their leadership decisions, performance, and behavior as well as for the performance and behavior of their senior managers.

VBA implemented a balanced scorecard of performance measures in FY 1999. This balanced scorecard contains the major service delivery performance measures: the speed of claims processing, accuracy, customer satisfaction, unit cost and employee development; those measures that mean the most to the veterans we serve, our stakeholders and our employees. Scorecards have been developed for each VBA business line (Compensation and Pension, Education, Loan Guaranty, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, and Insurance) to track national performance. In addition, scorecards have been developed for each of the Service Delivery Networks (SDN) and regional offices (RO) to track performance. VBA is integrating scorecard performance into the executive appraisal system.

To support the performance measurement process, VBA has established an automated Balanced Scorecard, available to all employees via the Intranet. VBA deploys its Balanced Scorecard as its strategic management system and reports results at both the operational and strategic levels.

The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) employs a strategic planning model that ensures strategic goals are linked throughout the organization. Strategic goals are consistent at the national, area, and cemetery levels. Measurable progress toward meeting NCA’s strategic objectives is reported on a regular basis and communicated to all top-level managers. In addition, NCA has developed and is using consistent performance standards for all cemetery directors that are linked to NCA’s strategic goals. These performance standards address specific accountability in the areas of customer service and stewardship, employee and self-development, and cemetery operations.

NCA is participating as a pilot organization in the VA Workforce Planning Project. In conjunction with the Office of Human Resources Management, NCA is working to develop a plan that will ensure NCA has a cadre of fully trained and competent cemetery directors ready to lead the organization into the 21^st century. A part of this project will be to build a bank of professional and operational competencies for cemetery directors.