Recommendations
2222
| ID | Report Number | Report Title | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25-00239-196 | Healthcare Facility Inspection of the VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System in Omaha | Healthcare Facility Inspection | ||
1 The Director takes appropriate steps to maintain clean patient care areas and properly manage biohazards, in accordance with Veterans Health Administration Directive 1131, Management of Infectious Diseases and Infection Prevention and Controls Programs.
2 The Director takes appropriate steps so the facility’s annual assessment for Legionella disease prevention includes the Papillion community living center, as required by Veterans Health Administration Directive 1061(4), Prevention of Health Care-Associated Legionella Disease and Scald Injury from Water Systems.
3 The Chief of Staff takes the appropriate steps for leaders to assess the facility’s pharmaceutical waste disposal processes and reeducate staff on safe handling and disposal practices, in accordance with the facility’s Regulated Waste Materials Management policy and Pharmaceutical Return, Waste, and Disposal Standard Operating Procedure.
4 The Chief of Staff and Associate Director for Patient Care/Nurse Executive take the appropriate steps so leaders create service-level workflows that outline staff roles for communicating test results to patients and providers, as required by Veterans Health Administration Directive 1088(1), Communicating Test Results to Providers and Patients.
| ||||
| 26-01435-02 | Review of Roll-up Findings on Discharge Instructions and Risk-Benefit Discussions from Inspections of VA Inpatient Mental Health Care | Mental Health Inspection Program | ||
1 The Under Secretary for Health implements corrective actions to ensure discharge instructions for veterans consistently include appointment locations in easy-to-understand language.
2 The Under Secretary for Health implements corrective actions to ensure discharge instructions for veterans who received inpatient mental health care include the purpose for each medication listed and do not include medical abbreviations.
3 The Under Secretary for Health implements corrective actions to ensure risk-benefit discussions occur for newly prescribed medications.
| ||||
| 26-00047-288 | Healthcare Facility Inspection of the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System in Pennsylvania | Healthcare Facility Inspection | ||
1 The Director takes appropriate action for employees to keep patient care areas clean as required by Veterans Health Administration Directive 1608(1), Comprehensive Environment of Care Program and clean storerooms as required by Veterans Health Administration Directive 1761, Supply Chain Management Operations.
2 The Director takes appropriate action for employees to inspect and test all medical equipment as required by The Joint Commission standard PE [Physical Environment] 04.01.01.
3 The Director takes appropriate action so pharmaceutical waste containers are provided and accessible, and trains employees on container use as required by Veterans Health Administration Directive 1850.06(1), Waste Management Program.
4 The Director takes appropriate action so employees secure power strips as required by National Fire Protection Association’s Health Care Facilities Code, NFPA 99 and electrical cords are connected to prevent pulling or straining as required by National Electrical Code, NFPA 70.
| ||||
| 26-00178-281 | Review of Care Coordination for a Patient with Breast Disease at the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System in Aurora | Hotline Healthcare Inspection | ||
1 The Under Secretary for Health considers including high-risk conditions, such as suspected cancer, to the listing of complex/chronic conditions within the administrative portion of the consult tool outlined in the Veterans Health Administration Office of Integrated Veteran Care (IVC) Community Care Field Guidebook.
| ||||
| 26-00046-284 | Healthcare Facility Inspection of the VA Columbia Missouri Healthcare System | Healthcare Facility Inspection | ||
1 Facility leaders take appropriate actions so staff maintain a safe and clean environment, in accordance with Veterans Health Administration Directive 1608(1), Comprehensive Environment of Care Program.
| ||||
| 25-00244-289 | Healthcare Facility Inspection of the VA Maine Healthcare System in Augusta | Healthcare Facility Inspection | ||
1 The Chief of Staff and Associate Director for Patient and Nursing Services develop service-level workflows that outline responsibilities in the patient notification process and update the facility’s test result communication policy to align with Veterans Health Administration Directive 1088(1), Communicating Test Results to Providers and Patients.
2 The Chief of Staff and Associate Director for Patient and Nursing Services implement actions based on external peer review data to improve providers’ communication of test results to patients, in accordance with Veterans Health Administration Directive 1088(1), Communicating Test Results to Providers and Patients.
| ||||
| 26-00040-285 | Healthcare Facility Inspection of the VA West Texas Healthcare System in Big Spring | Healthcare Facility Inspection | ||
1 The Director takes appropriate actions so that staff consistently follow the facility’s Legionella prevention plan and achieve and sustain compliance with all applicable requirements in Veterans Health Administration Directive 1061(4), Prevention of Health Care-Associated Legionella Disease and Scald Injury from Water Systems to prevent contamination and maintain water quality, including testing, documentation, and mitigation actions, to protect resident safety in the community living center.
2 The Director develops and implements a written policy for communicating test results that aligns with Veterans Health Administration Directive 1088(1), Communicating Test Results to Providers and Patients.
3 The Chief of Staff and Associate Director for Patient Care Services develop written service-level workflows that align with Veterans Health Administration Directive 1088(1), Communicating Test Results to Providers and Patients.
4 The Chief of Staff and Associate Director for Patient Care Services take corrective actions to address unfavorable trends in the communication of test results in accordance with Veterans Health Administration Directive 1088(1), Communicating Test Results to Providers and Patients.
5 The Director evaluates the Healthcare Delivery Board and takes actions when warranted to provide proper oversight of clinical care quality in accordance with Joint Commission standards Medical Staff 16.01.01 and Leadership 11.01.01.
Closure Date:
| ||||
| 26-00057-170 | Healthcare Facility Inspection of the VA Shreveport Healthcare System in Louisiana | Healthcare Facility Inspection | ||
1 The Chief of Staff and Associate Director for Patient Care Services take appropriate actions to develop written service-level workflows that describe team members’ roles in the process of communicating test results, per Veterans Health Administration Directive 1088(1), Communicating Test Results to Providers and Patients.
2 The Chief of Staff and Associate Director for Patient Care Services review performance measure data for test result communications and take corrective action when they identify noncompliance with communicating abnormal test results within seven days, per Veterans Health Administration Directive 1088(1), Communicating Test Results to Providers and Patients.
| ||||
| 26-00059-221 | Healthcare Facility Inspection of the VA Finger Lakes Healthcare System in Bath, New York | Healthcare Facility Inspection | ||
1 The Director performs a comprehensive safety risk assessment of enclosed walkways and implements necessary corrective actions to mitigate slip hazards, in accordance with Veterans Health Administration Directive 1608(1), Comprehensive Environment of Care Program.
2 The Director takes appropriate actions for staff to regularly identify and remove expired supplies in all areas outside standard supply rooms to comply with Veterans Health Administration Directive 1761, Supply Chain Management Operations.
3 The Veterans Integrated Service Network Director monitors the facility’s processes to prevent repeat environment of care findings and takes any needed actions to meet the requirements of Veterans Health Administration Directive 1608(1), Comprehensive Environment of Care Program.
| ||||
| 26-00594-267 | Audit of VA’s Compliance with Covered Agency Responsibilities for Geospatial Data in FY 2026 | Audit | ||
1 Update VA’s enterprise data strategy and spatial data strategy and other related policy documents to align with the goals and objectives of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure strategic plan for 2025–2035.
2 Update VA directives, handbooks, and standard operating procedures to ensure they are current and aligned with operational goals related to geospatial functions and responsibilities.
3 Develop a comprehensive plan to ensure the Office of Data Governance and Analytics and other related offices have the necessary resources to fulfill the responsibilities of effective geospatial data collection, production, and stewardship regarding related activities of the covered agency and, as necessary, support the activities of the Federal Geographic Data Committee.
| ||||
15760