VA hospitals are outperforming private hospitals, latest Medicare survey shows

A nationwide Medicare survey reveals that Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals are outperforming private hospitals in patient satisfaction.

Key findings: VA hospitals were rated higher than private facilities in all 10 categories of patient satisfaction, including hospital cleanliness and communication with nurses and doctors.
* The VA serves approximately 9 million veterans at 1,255 facilities across the nation.

Significance: Favorable comparisons with private sector hospitals are crucial for the VA as Congress considers expanding its use of private care for veterans who face long wait times or travel distances for VA appointments.
* Private care is more expensive for the VA and has been criticized by some members of Congress for its implementation delays.

Reaction: Dr. Shereef Elnahal, VA undersecretary for health, said the survey results show that VA care quality and patient safety are “at least as good if not better than our private sector counterparts” but emphasized the need for continuous improvement.

View original article on NPR

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