title: Reinventing the VA. Civilian providers find valuable lessons in a once-maligned health care system.
abstract: Once maligned for its health care system, the Veterans Administration in recent years has improved the quality of the care it offers, creating a sophisticated electronic medical record and streamlining business processes, such as bed use and prescription drug procurement. Civilian hospitals should take note.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haugh
mesh_terms: D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D006751:Hospital Information Systems; D006772:Hospitals, Military / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014850:Waiting Lists