A recent audit by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General identified long wait times is an ongoing issue for veterans looking to access VA healthcare.
The VA Office of Inspector General's Office of Audits and Evaluations conducted an audit from April 2016 to January 2017, during which it measured wait times for new patients and evaluated the accuracy of wait times data within Veterans Integrated Service Network 6 facilities. The office also conducted site visits at 12 VA medical facilities within VISN 6.
The office analyzed more than 1,400 appointments, including 389 authorizations for the Veterans Choice Program, which allows eligible veterans to use outside providers if they cannot be seen by the VA within 30 days. The office found that 36 percent of appointments for new patients had wait times longer than 30 days, with the average wait time for this population estimated at 59 days.
"These numbers are significantly higher than the wait time data that VHA's electronic scheduling system showed," according to the report. "Among other consequences, the inaccurate wait time data resulted in a significant number of veterans not being eligible for treatment through Choice."
Click here to view the full report.