![]() Notably, averages that reflect a small number of appointments – for example, in a geographic area where only a few Veterans seek a certain type of subspecialty care in any given month - may show average wait times that are skewed high or low due to the small number. Averages are representative of general performance and may not represent individual experience, but the upgraded calculation makes the website more reflective of the complete process of requesting and receiving care. ![]() Rather, the website represents a guide that can assist Veterans in making informed health care decisions.Īverage wait times for all Veterans Health Administration (VHA) medical centers and clinics (except those that have transitioned to VA’s new Electronic Health Record (EHR)) are now calculated to include additional steps in the appointment process that had not been captured in the past. Importantly, average wait times are never used to determine eligibility for community care, and none of the changes on the website affect eligibility for community care. ![]() To further improve user experience, VA has also upgraded the way average wait times are calculated and displayed on the website. What has changed on the Access to Care site?.the ability to more easily view relevant medical center information.increased detail on timeliness within health care subspecialties and.In addition to updating the wait time calculations themselves, website updates also provide Veterans with more relevant information to help inform health care decisions, including: While there is no perfect way to measure wait times in aggregate, VA is making changes that represent a meaningful improvement in how the Department presents this information to Veterans. As part of this process, VA conducted focus groups that included a diverse representation of Veterans in categories including age, era, race/ethnicity, utilization type (in-person/telehealth), gender, and geography. ![]() Since that time, VA has received feedback from Veterans, caregivers, veterans service organizations, oversight authorities, and Congress, which led the Department to initiate efforts to revise the wait time metrics presented on the Access to Care website to better reflect the Veteran experience when seeking healthcare in the VHA system. VA has published average wait times for primary care, mental health, and specialty care appointments at each of its medical centers since 2014, in accordance with federal law. Providing Veterans with meaningful information to make informed decisions about their health care journeys is a top priority for VA. ![]()
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