Clipping 5, 1990 Report to the Senate Committee

More background on recurring issues with the VA system, #NewSameProblem... The infection control issues provide a well-documented example of how specific problems can persist through the decades regardless of the leadership.  The clipping below reflects the depth of expertise the General Accounting Office brought in to address infection control issues in 1990.

Report to the Ranking Minority Member, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, US Senate
VA Programs Are Comparable to Nonfederal Programs but Can Be Enhanced, Jan 1990

There have been at least seven Secretaries after infection control problems first surfaced in reports.  They were appointed by 4 U.S. Presidents: 2 Democrats, 2 Republicans.

Will enterprise-wide technology implementations for every hospital solve the VA's problems with infection control or beneficiary access or other historical risk?  In the case of the VA, risk-based solutions and implementations are a better fit.  Mitigate the greatest risks by deploying more focused solutions across the VA facilities.  Because

• By the time even one enterprise level-solution can be engineered and deployed for one facility, several more focused solutions can be deployed
• The longer known high-risks are allowed to persists, the greater the danger to beneficiaries, patients, and staff across the entire system.