David Shulkin, MD, secretary of Veterans Affairs, announced three new VA initiatives Thursday before President Donald Trump signed an executive order to create an accountability office within the department.
Dr. Shulkin detailed the initiatives in a speech Thursday ahead of President Trump signing the executive order.
The three new initiatives are:
1. Partnership with HHS to improve access. This partnership will allow medical professionals in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps to care for veterans in VA hospitals and clinics. Twenty such clinicians will go to VA facilities that need the most support. The agreement allows 10 additional people to support coordination of care for veterans receiving care in the community at non-VA facilities.
2. Fraud, waste and abuse task force. This initiative, effective Thursday, forms an advisory committee of private sector and government leaders to identify fraud detection tools and coordinate fraud, waste and abuse detection and reporting throughout the VA. This initiative could save tens of millions of dollars, according to the VA.
"Restoring the trust of veterans and improving systemwide accountability are among my top priorities. It's essential to ensure that all our employees and the companies we do business with are being good stewards of the resources available to care for our veterans," Dr. Shulkin said.
3. Changes for state-owned veteran nursing homes. The VA will now allow state-owned veteran nursing homes to follow state guidelines, instead of federal guidelines, when designing facilities. This will remove red tape and improve access, according to the VA.