The Department of Veterans is driving down wait times for veterans to receive health care — even as the VA sees record demand for its services.
The Department of Veterans is driving down wait times for veterans to receive health care — even as the VA sees record demand for its services.
The Veterans Health Administration in April saw an 11% decrease in average wait times for new patients in VA primary care, as well as a 7% decrease in average mental health care wait times, compared to last year.
VA set new records for medical appointments completed last year, but is on pace to break that record again this year.
The department, so far this year, completed 11% more patient appointments, compared to the same period last year — including 13% more mental health appointments for new patients.
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Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal told reporters Friday that these improved metrics come at a time when VA is delivering more care and more benefits to veterans than ever before.
“We’ve been able to meet that increasing demand for care, all while we’re seeing greater demand from our existing base of veterans, as they get older and get more chronic conditions and need more care,” Elnahal said.
The VA is providing historic levels of health care and benefits to veterans under the 2022 PACT Act, which expands eligibility for veterans exposed to toxic substances during their military service.The department has enrolled more than 400,000 veterans in VA health care over the past year — a 30% increase compared to the year prior.The average wait time to schedule a mental health appointment with the VA is about 17 days — meeting its access standard of 20 days or less.Any veteran who must wait more than 20 days to schedule an appointment receives a referral to seek mental health care through non-VA community care.“We’re really proud of […]
VA sees more patients, cuts wait times, despite higher workload
