The quality of care available to ve...

The quality of care available to veterans by means of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has improved significantly since a major overhaul of the health care hypothesis was undertaken in 1995, according to a June 3 2003 recents release from the VA. Researchers from the VA; Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston; The National Quality Forum; and the University of California used data from the VA's external comrade review program to compare quality indicators of preventive, acute, and chronic care with similar data from the Medicare fee-for-service program. The investigation represented all VA locations nationwide and included between 50000 and 90000 individual medical records each year since 1995

Researchers gathered data forward standard quality of care indicators, including those for preventive care, as it was as the frequency of mammography, vaccination, and colorectal cancer screening. Markers for quality outpatient care included reaching target family pressure readings for patients with hypertension, prescription of aspirin within 24 hours of a myocardial infarction, and cholesterol screening and command for patients with diabetes or heart disease. Significant improvement was erect for all quality-of-care indicators measured between 1994 and 2000 The VA also outperformed the Medicare fee-for-service program forward all 11 common markers measured for the brace systems between 1997 and 1999 and onward 12 of 13 indicators measured between 2000 and 2001 according to the release.

VA cogitation Shows Health Care Improvements (new release, Washington, DC: Department of Veterans Affairs, June 3 2003)

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