Question

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is often referred to as an example of a government-run health care system. How do you perceive the VA as a health care organization? What factors allow the VA system to effectively compete when so many for-profit and nonprofit health care organizations exist as an option?

Answer 1

How do you perceive the VA as a health care organization?

As for me, I perceive VA as a big healthcare organization which should continue to operate. It is worthwhile to note that the Veterans Health Administration is America's largest integrated health care system. The organization provides care at 1,245 health care facilities, including 170 medical centers and 1,065 outpatient sites of care-which varies with the complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.

What factors allow the VA system to effectively compete when so many for-profit and nonprofit health care organizations exist as an option?

1. VA medical centers provide a wide range of services which makes them to be preferred by many patients.
2. Most of VA medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including and many more.
3. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as plastic surgery and organ transplants. This makes VA to have a competitive advantage.
4. The fact that each VA medical center has Patient Advocates, makes many patients to prefer VA since they can be helped to resolve their health concerns effectively and at ease.
5. The government has allocates a budget of $68 billion for VA every year.