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HRD-78-134 1 (1978-07-18)

handle is hein.gao/gaobaaxpn0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 

DOCUftEWT RESUME


06539 - f B2027038 I

r Review of VA's Proposed Hospital Bed and Staff Beductions for
Fiscal Year 19791. HRD-78-13J; B-133C'4. July 18, 1978. 2 pp. *
3 enclosurps (8 pp.).

Report to Sen. William Proxmire, Chairman, Senate Ccmmittee on
Appropriations: HUD-Independent Agencies Subcoceittee; by Elmer
B. Staats, Comptroller General.

Issue Area: Health Programs (1200) ; health Prograas: Health
    Providers t 202).
Contact: Human Resources Div.
Budget Function: Veterans Benefits and Services: Hospital and
    Medical Care for Veterans (703).
orga-iization Concerned: Veterans Administration.
Congressional Relevance: Senate Committee on Appropriaticus:
    HUD-Independeat Agencies Subccusittee. Sen. William
    Proxmire.

         An investigation was conducted of the Veterans
Administration's (VA's) rationale for cutting cver 3,OOC
operating hospital beds and associated staff from its hcspital
system. Over the p&st decade, VA hospitals have been treating a
larger number of patients with fewer beds. During that period,
about 20,000 hospital beds have been eliminated fric the VA
system because of improved staffing ard an increase in tke use
of alternatives to hospitalization. Ic prevent the reduction of
personnel and beds from impairing operations at an Individual
facility, the VA decided to attempt tc clcae entire units such
as wards. It was also decided that hospitals which were treating
a high percentaqe of veterans for ncnservice-ccnnczted
conditions should lose more beds than those hospitals with a l,.w
percentaqe ol such veterans. The fcllcviJg criteria were used to
determine the locations and numbers of beds to be cut:
construction and renovation requirements, Fatient privacy
considerations, and occupancy rates. host of the kid cuts were
based on low occupancy rates. However, the VA did not identify
the reasons for low or high occupancy rates; analysis cf these
factors could provide the VA with a basis to assess a hospital's
performance and identify opportunities for improvesent. It does
not appear that the bed and staffing cuts will seriously affect
VA hospital operations, and the bed and staffing cut is not a
cut in the strictest sense because the cut Fositicns are to be
redistributed to other facilities. (ERS)

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