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Combined Assessment Program Summary Report – Evaluation of Coordination of Inpatient Consults in Veterans Health Administration Facilities

Report Information

Issue Date
Report Number
16-01489-311
VA Office
Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
Report Author
Office of Healthcare Inspections
Report Type
Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection Program
Recommendations
1
Questioned Costs
$0
Better Use of Funds
$0
Congressionally Mandated
No

Summary

Summary
The purpose of the review was to evaluate the consult management process and the completion of clinical consults that clinicians order and expect to be completed during inpatient admissions. The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) performed this review at 54 Veterans Health Administration medical facilities during Combined Assessment Program reviews performed across the country from October 1, 2014, through September 30, 2015. Although OIG observed many positive practices, including oversight committees implementing corrective actions when they identified opportunities for improvement, requesters stating adequate reasons for consult requests, and consultants generally addressing the reasons for the consults, OIG identified an opportunity for improvement and made one recommendation.

Open Recommendation Image, SquareOpenClosed and Implemented Recommendation Image, CheckmarkClosed-ImplementedNot Implemented Recommendation Image, X character'Closed-Not Implemented
No. 1
Closed and Implemented Recommendation Image, Checkmark
to Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
We recommended that the Under Secretary for Health, in conjunction with Veterans Integrated Service Network and facility senior managers, ensure that facility clinicians consistently include ‘inpatient’ in the inpatient consult title and that facility managers monitor compliance.