Combined Assessment Program Review of the VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts

The purpose of the review was to evaluate selected operations, focusing on patient care administration and quality management (QM). During the review, OIG provided crime awareness briefings to 88 employees. This review focused on 10 operational activities. The facility complied with selected standards in the following five activities: (1) coordination of care, (2) environment of care, (3) medication management, (4) mental health treatment continuity, and (5) point-of-care testing. The facility’s reported accomplishments were a facility wide innovative hand hygiene program and an elective residency rotation to improve participation in and knowledge of the quality improvement process. OIG made recommendations for improvement in the following five activities: (1) QM, (2) polytrauma, (3) moderate sedation, (4) colorectal cancer screening, and (5) nurse staffing.