Development of VA Geriatrics Programs

Abstract

The Veterans Administration has had a large and credible influence on the development of Geriatrics as a field in the United States. Generally within the Veterans Health Administration, service needs align with the finances and program delivery to meet performance objectives and accountability within a single payer system. Responding to accountability to the public following a 2014 failure to provide access to primary care, contributed to by falsified reports and a flawed incentive system, a large portion of VA leadership was replaced and given new quality performance metrics: SAIL, the Strategic Analytics for Improvement and Learning Value Model. Many VA hospitals achieved remarkably low ratings, and new managers have been put on notice to improve quality through value-based healthcare transformation. These managers are listening to potential Geriatric care models which help them achieve these objectives.