VA Health Care: Preliminary Findings on VA's Provision of Health Care Services to Women Veterans
Released: 2009-07-16T00:00:00

Letter

Background

VA Health Care System

VA’s integrated health care delivery system is one of the largest in the United States and provides enrolled veterans, including women veterans, with a range of services including primary and preventive health care services, mental health services, inpatient hospital services, long-term care, and prescription drugs. VA’s health care system is organized into 21 VISNs that include VAMCs and CBOCs. VAMCs offer outpatient, residential, and inpatient services. These services range from primary care to complex specialty care, such as cardiac and spinal cord injury care. VAMCs also offer a range of mental health services, including outpatient counseling services, residential programs—which provide intensive treatment and rehabilitation services, with supported housing, for treatment, for example, of PTSD, MST, or substance use disorders—and inpatient psychiatric treatment. CBOCs are an extension of VAMCs and provide outpatient primary care and general mental health services on site. VA also operates 232 Vet Centers, which offer readjustment and family counseling, employment services, bereavement counseling, and a range of social services to assist combat veterans in readjusting from wartime military service to civilian life.

When VA facilities are unable to efficiently provide certain health care services on site, they are authorized to enter into agreements with non-VA providers to ensure veterans have access to medically necessary services. Specifically, VA facilities can make services available through referral of patients to other VA facilities or use of telehealth services, sharing agreements with university affiliates or Department of Defense contracts with providers in the local community, or allowing veterans to receive care from providers in the community who will accept VA payment (commonly referred to as fee-basis care).

VA Policies Pertaining to Women’s Health

Federal law authorizes VA to provide medically necessary health care services to eligible veterans, including women veterans. Federal law also specifically requires VA to provide mental health screening, counseling, and treatment for eligible veterans who have experienced MST. Although the MST law applies to all veterans, it is of particular relevance to women veterans because among women veterans screened by VA for MST, 21 percent screened positive for experiencing MST. VA provides health care services to veterans through its medical benefits package—health care services required to be provided are broadly stated in a regulation and further specified in VA policies. Through policies, VA requires its health care facilities to make certain services, including gender-specific services and primary care services, available to eligible women veterans. Gender-specific services that are included in the VA medical benefits package include, for example, cervical cancer screening, breast examination, management of menopause, mammography, obstetric care, and infertility evaluation. See table 1 for a list of selected basic and specialized gender-specific services that VA is required to make available and others that VA may make available to women veterans.

In November 2008, VA established a policy that requires all VAMCs and CBOCs to move toward making comprehensive primary care available for women veterans. VA defines comprehensive primary care for women veterans as the availability of complete primary care—including routine detection and management of acute and chronic illness, preventive care, basic gender-specific care, and basic mental health care—from one primary care provider at one site. VA did not establish a deadline by which VAMCs and CBOCs must meet this requirement.

VA policies also outline a number of requirements specific to ensuring the privacy of women veterans in all settings of care at VAMCs and CBOCs. These include requirements related to ensuring auditory and visual privacy at check-in and in interview areas; the location of exam rooms, presence of privacy curtains, and the orientation of exam tables; access to private restrooms in outpatient, inpatient, and residential settings of care; and the availability of sanitary products in public restrooms at VA facilities. 1n 1991, VA established the position of Women Veteran Coordinator—now the WVPM—to ensure that each VAMC had an individual responsible for assessing the needs of women veterans and assisting in the planning and delivery of services and programs to meet those needs. Begun as a part- time collateral position, the WVPM is now a full-time position at all VAMCs. In July 2008, VA required VAMCs to establish the WVPM as a full- time position (no longer a collateral duty) no later than December 1, 2008. Clinicians in the role of WVPM would be allowed to perform clinical duties to maintain their professional certification, licensure, or privileges, but must limit the time to the minimum required, typically no more than 5 hours per week.

VA Mental Health Services

In September 2008, VA issued the Uniform Mental Health Services in VA Medical Centers and Clinics, a policy that specifies the mental health services that must be provided at each VAMC and CBOC. The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all veterans, wherever they obtain care in VA’s health care system, have access to needed mental health services. The policy lists the mental health care services that must be delivered on site or made available by each facility. To help ensure that mental health staff can provide these services, VA has developed and rolled out evidence- based psychotherapy training programs for VA staff that treat patients with PTSD, depression, and serious mental illness. VA’s training programs cover five evidence-based psychotherapies: Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE), which are recommended for PTSD; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which are recommended for depression; and Social Skills Training (SST), which is recommended for serious mental illness. The training programs involve two components: (1) attendance at an in-person, experientially-based, workshop (usually 3-4 days long), and (2) ongoing telephone-based small-group consultation on actual therapy cases with a consultant who is an expert in the psychotherapy.

VA Facilities Provided Basic and Specialized Gender-Specific Services and Mental Health Services to Women Veterans, though Not All Services Were Provided On Site at Each VA Facility

The VA facilities we visited provided basic gender-specific and outpatient mental health services to women veterans on site, and some facilities also provided specialized gender-specific or mental health services specifically designed for women on site. All of the VAMCs we visited offered at least some specialized gender-specific services on site, and six offered a broad array of these services. Among CBOCs, other than the two largest facilities we visited, most offered limited specialized gender-specific care on site. Women needing obstetric care were always referred to non-VA providers. Regarding mental health care, we found that outpatient services for women were widely available at the VAMCs and most Vet Centers we visited, but were more limited at some CBOCs. Eight of the VAMCs we visited offered mixed-gender inpatient or residential mental health services, and two VAMCs offered residential treatment programs specifically designed for women veterans.

Basic Gender-Specific Care Services Were Generally Available On site at VA Medical Facilities

Basic gender-specific care services were available on site at all nine of the VAMCs and 8 of the 10 CBOCs that we visited. (See table 2.) These facilities offered a full array of basic gender-specific services for women— such as pelvic examinations, and osteoporosis treatment—on site. One of the CBOCs we visited did not offer any basic gender-specific services on site and another offered a limited selection of these services. These CBOCs that provided limited basic gender-specific services referred patients to other VA facilities for this care, but had plans underway to offer these services on site once providers received needed training. In general, women veterans had access to female providers for their gender-specific care: of the 19 medical facilities we visited, all but 4 had one or more female providers available to deliver basic gender-specific care.

The facilities we visited delivered basic gender-specific services in a variety of ways. Seven of the nine VAMCs and the two large CBOCs we visited had women’s clinics. The physical setup of these clinics ranged from a physically separate dedicated clinical space (at five facilities) to one or more designated women’s health providers with designated exam rooms within a mixed-gender primary care clinic. Generally, when women’s clinics were available, most female patients received their basic gender-specific care in those clinics. When women’s clinics were not available, female patients either received their gender-specific care through their primary care provider or were referred to another VA or non- VA facility for these services.

Basic gender-specific services were typically available between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. At one CBOC and one VAMC, however, basic gender-specific care was only available during limited time frames. At the CBOC, a provider from the affiliated VAMC traveled to the CBOC 2 days each month to perform cervical cancer screenings and pelvic examinations for the clinic’s female patients. In general, medical facilities did not offer evening or weekend hours for basic gender-specific services.

While All VAMCs Offered at Least Some Specialized Gender-Specific Services On site, CBOCs Typically Referred Patients Needing These Services to Other VA or Non-VA Medical Facilities

The provision of specialized gender-specific services for women, including treatment after abnormal cervical cancer screenings and breast cancer treatment, varied by service and by facility. (See table 3.) All VA medical facilities referred female patients to outside providers for obstetric care. Some of the VAMCs we visited offered a broad array of other specialized gender-specific services on site, but all contracted or fee-based at least some services. In particular, most VAMCs provided screening and diagnostic mammography through contracts with local providers or fee- based these services. In addition, less than half of the VAMCs provided reconstructive surgery after mastectomy on site, although six of the nine VAMCs we visited provided medical treatment for breast cancers and reproductive cancers on site. In general, the CBOCs we visited offered more limited specialized gender-specific services on site. For example, while most CBOCs offered pregnancy testing and sexually transmitted disease (STD) screening, counseling, and treatment, only the largest CBOCs offered IUD placement on site. Most CBOCs referred patients to VA medical facilities—sometimes as far as 130 miles away—for some specialized gender-specific services. Because the travel distance can be a barrier to treatment for some veterans, officials at some CBOCs said that they will fee-base services to local providers on a case-by-case basis. At both VAMCs and CBOCs, specialized gender-specific services were usually offered on site only during certain hours: for example, four medical facilities only offered these services 2 days per week or less.

Outpatient Mental Health Services Were Widely Available at Most VAMCs and Vet Centers, but More Limited at Smaller CBOCs

A range of outpatient mental health services was readily available at the VAMCs we visited. The types of outpatient mental health services available at most VAMCs included, for example, diagnosis and treatment of depression, substance use disorders, PTSD, and serious mental illness. All of the VAMCs we visited had one or more providers with training in evidence-based therapies for the treatment of PTSD and depression. All but one of the VAMCs we visited offered at least one women-only counseling group. Two VAMCs offered outpatient treatment programs specifically for women who have experienced MST or other traumas. In addition, several VAMCs offered services during evening hours at least 1 day a week. While most outpatient mental health services were available on site, facilities typically fee-based treatment for a veteran with an active eating disorder to non-VA providers.

Similarly, the eight Vet Centers we visited offered a variety of outpatient mental health services, including counseling services for PTSD and depression, as well as individual or group counseling for victims of sexual trauma. Five of the eight Vet Centers we visited offered women-only groups, and six had counselors with training or experience in treating patients who have suffered sexual trauma. Vet Centers generally offered some counseling services in the evenings.

The outpatient mental health services available in CBOCs were, in some cases, more limited. The two larger CBOCs offered women-only group counseling as well as intensive treatment programs specifically for women who had experienced MST or other traumas, and two other CBOCs offered women-only group counseling. The smaller CBOCs, however, tended to rely on staff from the affiliated VAMC, often through telehealth, to provide mental health services. Five CBOCs provided some mental health services through telehealth or using mental health providers from the VAMC that traveled to the CBOCs on specific days.

While Most VAMCs Offer Mixed-Gender Residential or Inpatient Mental Health Services, Few Have Specialized Programs for Women Veterans

While most VAMCs offer mixed-gender residential mental health treatment programs or inpatient psychiatric services, few have specialized programs for women veterans. Eight of the nine VAMCs we visited served women veterans in mixed-gender inpatient psychiatric units, mixed-gender residential treatment programs, or both. Two VAMCs had residential treatment programs specifically for women who have experienced MST and other traumas. (VA has ten of these programs nationally.) None of the VAMCs had dedicated inpatient psychiatric units for women. VA providers at some facilities expressed concerns about the privacy and safety of women veterans in mixed-gender inpatient and residential environments. For example, in the residential treatment programs, beds for women veterans were separated from other areas of the building by keyless entry systems. However, female residents in some of these programs shared common areas, such as the dinning room, with male residents, and providers expressed concerns that women who were victims of sexual trauma might not feel comfortable in such an environment.

Medical Facilities Had Not Fully Implemented VA Policies Pertaining to the Delivery of Health Care Services for Women Veterans

The extent to which VA medical facilities we visited were following VA policies that apply to the delivery of health care services for women veterans varied, but none of the facilities had fully implemented VA policies pertaining to women veterans’ health care. In particular, none of the VAMCs or CBOCs we visited were fully compliant with VA policy requirements related to privacy for women veterans. In addition, the facilities we visited were in various stages of implementing VA’s new initiative on comprehensive primary care: most medical facilities had at least one provider that could deliver comprehensive primary care services to women veterans, although not all of these facilities were routinely assigning women veterans to these providers. Officials at some VA facilities reported that they were unclear about the specific steps they would need to take to meet VA’s definition of comprehensive primary care for women veterans.

None of the Facilities Were Fully Compliant with VA Policies Related to Ensuring the Privacy of Women Veterans

All facilities were fully compliant with at least some of VA’s privacy requirements; however, we documented observations in many clinical settings where facilities were not following one or more requirements. Some common areas of noncompliance included the following: Visual and auditory privacy at check-in. None of the VAMCs or CBOCs we visited ensured adequate visual and auditory privacy at check-in in all clinical settings that are accessed by women veterans. In most clinical settings, check-in desks or windows were located in a mixed-gender waiting room or on a high-traffic public corridor. In some locations, the check-in area was located far enough away from the waiting room chairs that patients checking in for appointments could not easily be overheard. In a total of 12 outpatient clinical settings at six VAMCs and five CBOCs, however, check-in desks were located in close proximity to chairs where other patients waited for their appointments. At one CBOC, we observed a line forming at the check-in window, with several people waiting directly behind the patient checking in, demonstrating how privacy can be easily violated at check-in.

Orientation of exam tables. In exam rooms where gynecological exams are conducted, only one of the nine VAMCs and two of the eight CBOCs we visited were fully compliant with VA’s policy requiring exam tables to face away from the door. In many clinical settings that were not fully compliant at the remaining facilities, we observed that exam tables were oriented with the foot of the table facing the door, and in two CBOCs where exam tables were not properly oriented, there was no privacy curtain to help assure visual privacy during women veterans’ exams. At one of these CBOCs, a noncompliant exam room was also located within view of a mixed-gender waiting room. Figure 1 shows the correct and incorrect orientation of exam tables in two gynecological exam rooms at two VA medical facilities.

Restrooms adjacent to exam rooms. Only two of the nine VAMCs and one of the eight CBOCs we visited were fully compliant with VA’s requirement that exam rooms where gynecological exams are conducted have immediately adjacent restrooms. In most of the outpatient clinics we toured, a woman veteran would have to walk down the hall to access a restroom, in some cases passing through a high-traffic public corridor or a mixed-gender waiting room.

Access to private restrooms in inpatient and residential units. At four of the nine VAMCs we visited, proximity of private restrooms to women’s rooms on inpatient or residential units was a concern. In one mixed-gender inpatient medical/surgical unit, two mixed-gender residential units, and one all-female residential unit, women veterans were not guaranteed access to a private bathing facility and may have had to use a shared or congregate facility. In two of these four settings, access to the shared restroom was not restricted by a lock or a keycard system, raising concerns about the possibility of intrusion by male patients or staff while a woman veteran is showering or using the restroom.

Availability of sanitary products in public restrooms. At seven of the nine VAMCs and all 10 of the CBOCs we visited, we did not find sanitary napkins or tampons available in dispensers in any of the public restrooms.

Medical Facilities Were in Various Stages of Implementing VA’s Initiative on Comprehensive Primary Care for Women Veterans, but Officials at Some Facilities Were Unclear about the Steps Needed to Implement VA’s New Initiative

VA has not set a deadline by which all VAMCs and CBOCs are required to implement VA’s new comprehensive primary care initiative for women veterans, which would allow women veterans to obtain both primary care and basic gender-specific services from one provider at one site. Officials at the VA medical facilities we visited since the comprehensive primary care for women veterans initiative was introduced reported that they were at various stages of implementing the new initiative. Officials at 6 of the 7 VAMCs and 6 of the 8 CBOCs we visited since November 2008—when VA adopted this initiative—reported that they had at least one provider who could deliver comprehensive primary care services to women veterans. However, some of the medical facilities we visited reported that they were not routinely assigning women veterans to comprehensive primary care providers.

Officials at some medical facilities we visited were unclear about the steps needed to implement VA’s new policy on comprehensive primary care for women veterans. For example, at one VAMC, primary care was offered in a mixed-gender primary care clinic and basic gender-specific services were offered by a separate appointment in the gynecology clinic, sometimes on the same day. The new comprehensive primary care initiative would require both primary care and basic gender specific services to be available on the same day, during the same appointment. Officials at this facility said that they were in the process of determining whether they can adapt their current model to meet VA’s comprehensive primary care standard by placing additional primary care providers in the gynecology clinic so that both primary care services and basic gender- specific services could be offered during the same appointment, in one location. Facility officials were uncertain about whether it would meet VA’s comprehensive primary care standard if primary care and basic gender-specific services were still delivered by two different providers.

However, VA’s comprehensive primary care policy is clear that the care is to be delivered by the same provider. Another area of uncertainty is the breadth of experience a provider would need to meet VA’s comprehensive primary care standard. Officials from VA headquarters have made it clear that it is their expectation that comprehensive primary care providers have a broad understanding of basic women’s health issues—including initial evaluation and treatment of pelvic and abdominal pain, menopause management, and the risks associated with prescribing certain drugs to pregnant or lactating women. However, in one location, we found that the only provider who was available to deliver comprehensive primary care may not have had the proficiency to deliver the broad array of services that are included in VA’s definition, because the facility serves a very low volume of women veterans and opportunities to practice delivering some basic gender-specific services are limited.

VA Officials Identified Key Challenges Related to Space, Hiring Staff with Specific Experience and Training, and Establishing the WVPM as a Full-time Position

VA officials at medical facilities we visited identified a number of key challenges in providing health care services to women veterans. These challenges include physical space constraints that affect the provision of care, including problems complying with patient privacy requirements, and difficulties hiring providers that have specific experience and training in women’s health, as well as hiring mental health providers with expertise in treating veterans with PTSD and who have experienced MST. Officials at some VA medical facilities also reported implementation issues in establishing the WVPM as a full-time position.

VA Facility Officials Identified Space Constraints as a Challenge Affecting the Provision of Health Care Services to Women Veterans

Officials at VA medical facilities we visited reported that space constraints have raised issues affecting the provision of health care services to women veterans. In particular, officials at 7 of 9 VAMCs and 5 of 10 CBOCs we visited said that space issues, such as the number, size, or configuration of exam rooms or bathrooms at their facilities sometimes made it difficult for them to comply with some VA requirements related to privacy for women veterans. At some of the medical facilities we visited, officials raised concerns about busy waiting rooms and the limited space available to provide separate waiting rooms for patients who may not feel comfortable in a mixed-gender waiting room, particularly women veterans who have experienced MST. Officials at one CBOC said they received complaints from women veterans who preferred a separate waiting room. At this facility, space challenges that affected privacy were among the factors that led to the relocation of mental health services to a separate off-site clinic. VA facility officials told us that some of the patient bedrooms at two VAMC mixed-gender inpatient psychiatric units that were usually designated for female patients were located in space that could not be adequately monitored from the nursing station. VA policy requires that all inpatient care facilities provide separate and secured sleeping accommodations for women and that mixed-gender units must ensure safe and secure sleeping arrangements, including, but not limited to, the ability to monitor the patient bedrooms from the nursing station.

VA facility officials also told us they have struggled with space constraints as they work to comply with VA’s new policy on comprehensive primary care for women and the requirements in the September 2008 Uniform Mental Health Services in VA Medical Centers and Clinics, as well as the increasing numbers of women veterans requesting these services. For example, officials at a VAMC said that limitations in the number of primary care exam rooms at their facilities made it difficult for providers to deliver comprehensive primary care services in an efficient and timely manner. Providers explained that having only one exam room per primary care provider prevents them from “multitasking,” or moving back and forth between exam rooms while patients are changing or completing intake interviews with nursing staff. Similarly, mental health providers at a medical facility said that they often shared offices, which limits the number of counseling appointments they could schedule, and primary care providers sometimes have two patients in a room at the same time separated by a curtain during the intake or screening process. In addition, at one VAMC, officials reported that the facility needed to be two to three times its current size to accommodate increasing patient demand.

VA officials are aware of these challenges and VA is taking steps to address them, such as funding construction projects, moving to larger buildings, and opening additional CBOCs. However, some of these projects will not be finished for a few years. In the interim, officials said, some facilities are leasing additional space or contracting some services to community providers.

VA Facility Officials Identified Difficulties Hiring Primary Care Providers with the Specific Training and Experience Needed to Provide Services to Women Veterans

VA facility officials reported difficulties hiring primary care providers with specific training and experience in women’s health. VA’s comprehensive primary care initiative requires that women veterans have access to a designated women’s health primary care provider that is “proficient, interested, and engaged” in delivering services to women veterans. The new policy requires that this primary care provider fulfill a broad array of health care services including, but not limited to detection and management of acute and chronic illness, such as osteoporosis, thyroid disease, and cancer of the breast, cervix, and lung; gender-specific primary care such as sexuality, pharmacologic issues related to pregnancy and lactation, and vaginal infections; preventive care, such as cancer screening and weight management; mental health services such as screening and referrals for MST, as well as evaluation and treatment of uncomplicated mental health disorders and substance use disorders; and coordination of specialty care.

Officials at some facilities we visited told us that they would like to hire more providers with the required knowledge and experience in women’s health, but struggle to do so. For example, at one VAMC, officials reported that they had difficulty filling three vacancies for primary care providers, which they needed to meet the increasing demand for services and to replace staff who had retired. They said it took them a long time to find providers with the skills required to serve the needs of women veterans. Similarly, at one CBOC, officials reported that it takes them about 8 to 9 months to hire interested primary care physicians. Further, officials at some facilities we visited said that they rely on just one or two providers to deliver comprehensive primary care to women veterans. This is a concern to the officials because, should the provider retire or leave VA, the facility might not be able to replace them relatively quickly in order to continue to provide comprehensive primary care services to women veterans on site.

VA officials have acknowledged some of the challenges involved in training additional primary care providers to meet their vision of delivering comprehensive primary care to women veterans. A November 2008 report on the provision of primary care to women veterans cites insufficient numbers of clinicians with specific training and experience in women’s health issues among the challenges VA faces in implementing comprehensive primary care. To help address the knowledge gap, VA is using “mini-residency” training sessions on women’s health. These training sessions—which VA designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of primary care providers—consist of two and one-half days of case-based learning and hands-on training in gender-specific health care for women. During the mini-residency, providers receive specific training in performing pelvic examinations, cervical cancer screenings, clinical breast examinations, and other relevant skills.

VA Medical Facility and Vet Center Officials Identified Challenges Hiring Mental Health Providers with Training and Experience in Treating PTSD and MST

VA medical facility and Vet Center officials reported challenges hiring psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health staff with specialized training or experience in treating PTSD and MST. Medical facility officials often noted that there is a limited pool of qualified psychiatrists and psychologists, and a high demand for these professionals both in the private sector and within VA. In addition, two officials reported that because it is difficult to attract and hire mental health professionals with experience in treating the veteran population, some medical facilities have hired younger, less experienced providers. These officials noted that while younger providers may have the appropriate education and training in some evidence-based psychotherapy treatment methods that are recommended for treating PTSD and MST, they often lack practical experience treating a challenging patient population.

Some officials reported that staffing and training challenges limit the types of group or individual mental health treatment services that VA medical facilities and Vet Centers can offer. For example, officials at one VAMC said that they had problems attracting qualified mental health providers to work at its affiliated CBOCs. The facility posted announcements for psychiatrist and psychologist positions, but sometimes received no applications. Because the facility has not been able to recruit mental health providers, it relies on contract providers and fee-basing to deliver mental health services to veterans in its service area. At one Vet Center, officials told us that because none of their counselors have been trained to counsel veterans who have experienced MST, patients seeking counseling for MST are usually referred to the nearby CBOC or VAMC. At one CBOC, a licensed social worker reported that he provides individual counseling for about seven women who have experienced MST, even though he has limited training in this area. He said that this situation was not ideal, but said that he consults with mental health providers at the associated VAMC on some of these cases, and that without his services some of these women might not receive any counseling.

VA officials told us that they are aware of the challenges involved in finding clinical staff with specialized training and experience in working with veterans who have PTSD or have experienced MST. A VA official told us that as part of a national effort to enhance mental health providers’ knowledge of clinically effective treatment methods and make these methods available to veterans, VA has developed evidenced-based psychotherapy training for VA mental health staff. In particular, CPT, PE, and ACT are evidence-based treatment therapies for PTSD and also commonly used by providers who work with patients who have experienced MST. A VA headquarters official who is responsible for these training programs told us that as of May 4, 2009, 1,670 VA clinicians had completed VA-provided training in evidence-based therapies. Although VA is providing training in these evidence-based therapies, VA officials stated that this training is not mandatory for VA mental health providers who work with patients who have PTSD or have experienced M ST.

Some VAMC Officials Reported That Establishing the WVPM as a Full-time Position Has Raised Implementation Issues

Some VA officials expressed concerns that certain aspects of the new policy making the WVPM a full-time position may have the unintended consequence of discouraging clinicians from applying for or staying in the position, potentially leading to the loss of experienced WVPMs. One concern that some WVPMs raised during our interviews was that they were interested in performing clinical duties beyond the minimum required to maintain their professional certification, but would not be able to do so under the new policy. The new policy limits a WVPM’s clinical duties to the minimum required to maintain professional certification, licensure, or privileges, typically no more than 5 hours per week. Another concern was that the change to full-time status could result in a reduction in salary for some clinicians because the position could be classified as an administrative position, depending on how the policy is implemented at the VAMC. At two VAMCs we visited, such concerns had discouraged the incumbent WVPM from accepting the full-time position.

VA headquarters officials told us that they are aware of and have expressed their concerns to VA senior headquarters officials about unintended consequences of the new policy. VA headquarters officials provided VISN and VAMC leadership with some options that they could use to help avoid or minimize the potential loss of experienced WVPMs. For example, one option that could be approved on a case-by-case basis is to use a job-sharing arrangement that would allow the incumbent WVPM and another person to each dedicate 50 percent of their time to the WVPM position, performing clinical duties the other 50 percent, in order to transition staff into the full-time position or as a succession planning effort. VA headquarters officials said that action on this issue was important because VA does not have the time or resources to train new staff to replace experienced WVPMs who may leave their positions.

Mr. Chairmen, this completes my prepared remarks. I would be happy to respond to any questions either of you or other Members of the Subcommittees have at this time.

For further information about this testimony, please contact Randall Williamson at (202) 512-7114 or williamsonr@gao.gov. Contact points for our Offices of Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may be found on the last page of this statement. GAO staff who made major contributions to this testimony are listed in appendix II.

Appendix I: Information on the Selection of VA Facilities Examined in This Report

We selected locations for our site visits using VA data on each VA medical center (VAMC) in the United States. Our goal was to identify a geographically diverse mix of facilities, including some facilities that provide services to a high volume of women veterans, particularly women veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF); some facilities that serve a high proportion of National Guard or Reserve veterans; and some facilities that serve rural veterans. We also considered whether VAMCs had programs specifically for women veterans, particularly treatment programs for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and for women who have experienced military sexual trauma (MST). For each of the factors listed below, we examined available facility- or market-level data to identify facilities of interest: total number of unique women veteran patients using the VAMC; total number of unique OEF/OIF women veteran patients using the VAMC; proportion of unique women veterans using the VAMC who are OEF/OIF proportion of unique OEF/OIF women veterans using the VAMC who were discharged from the National Guard or Reserves; within the VA-defined market area for the VAMC, the proportion of women veterans who use VA health care and live in rural or highly rural areas; and availability of on-site programs specific to women veterans, such as inpatient or residential treatment programs that offer specialized treatment for women veterans with PTSD or who have experienced MST, including programs that are for women only or have an admission cycle that includes only women; and outpatient treatment teams with a specialized focus on MST.

We selected a judgmental sample of the VAMCs that fell into the top 25 facilities for at least two of these factors. Once we had selected these VAMCs, we also selected at least one community-based outpatient clinic (CBOC) affiliated with each of the VAMCs and one nearby Vet Center, which we also visited during our site visits. In selecting these CBOCs and Vet Centers, we focused on selecting facilities that represented a range of sizes, in terms of the number of women veterans they served.

Tables 5 and 6 provide information on the unique number of women veterans served by each of the VAMCs and CBOCs we selected for site visits.

Appendix II: GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments

GAO Contact

Staff Acknowledgments

In addition to the contact named above, Marcia A. Mann, Assistant Director; Susannah Bloch; Chad Davenport; Alexis MacDonald; and Carmen Rivera-Lowitt made key contributions to this testimony.

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