Mission
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) oversees the delivery of care to more than 9 million enrolled Veterans. VA, the nation's largest health care system, employs more than 371,000 health care professionals and support staff at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics). VHA is the nation's largest provider of graduate medical education and a major contributor to medical and scientific research. More than 25,000 active volunteers, 113,000 health professions trainees, and nearly 16,000 affiliated medical faculty are also an integral part of the VHA community. VHA provides primary care, specialized care, and related medical and social support services to American veterans.
Designated Services
Designated Services
Utilizing in-person primary care
VHA Primary Care gives eligible Veterans easy access to health care professionals familiar with their needs and serves as the foundation of healthcare. VHA provides long-term, patient-provider relationships, coordinates care, educates, and offers disease prevention programs. Primary care is delivered by VHA through Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACTs), a patient-centered medical home model designed to address a majority of personal health care needs. Primary Care is the largest healthcare service in VHA. In FY23, there were over 10.8 million primary care appointments in the VA.
Utilizing inpatient medical/acute care
Enrolled Veteran patients may require inpatient care for various health concerns. VA inpatient care includes a range of treatments, such as medical, surgical, mental health, dialysis, and acute care, and provides access to specialized units like intensive care, transplant care, spinal cord injury centers, traumatic brain injury units, and polytrauma centers. Inpatient care may occur at local VA medical facilities, facilities further from home, or local medical facilities partnering with VHA. In 2022, VA spent over $12 billion to support inpatient medical care within the VA and in addition, over $8 billion for inpatient medical care in the community.
Action Plans
2022 Action Plan commitments are detailed in Executive Order 14058