Information on VA Hospitals

The Veteran's Administration maintains a full network of hospitals and care units to assist the health care needs of military veterans. It is the biggest network of hospitals in the country.

Numbers

There are over 1,500 VA health facilities in the United States. About 14,800 doctors and 61,000 nurses work in these facilities.

Features

In addition to general and emergency care, VA hospitals also supply veterans with prescription medication on site at discounted rates.

Electronic Records

VA hospitals are noted for their streamlined records monitoring system. More than 7.84 million patients are served on the VA's electronic medical system.

Complaints

While the VA has managed to develop a cost-efficient, organized system, some veterans still complain that they have to wait a month or more to get an appointment. Because this is a government organization, there are concerns about problems with red tape.

Significance

A study that was published in Medical Care showed that male veterans over 65 years old on VA care were 40 percent less likely to die as compared to men on Medicare Advantage.

References

• Current VA Facility Locations
• TIME; How Veterans' Hospitals Became the Best in Health Care; Douglas Waller; Aug. 27, 2006
• The Digital Pioneer; Jane Zhang; Oct. 27, 2009