Site Visit Results from the Jacksonville VA Outpatient Clinic

Healthcare Agency Evaluation: Jacksonville, Florida Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic
Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) operates a national network of healthcare facilities, including medical centers, outpatients clinics, Vet Centers and domiciliaries. The mission of the VA was established in 1865 in President Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address wherein he created the mandate to “care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan” (Sigfurd, 2008). This paper provides a summary of a recent visit to one of the VA’s outpatient clinics located in Jacksonville, Florida, including the quality of services provided, the agency’s accessibility, the method of payments used, accreditation and privacy protections for its veteran patients. Finally, recommendations concerning how the Jacksonville VA Outpatient Clinic can improve service to its veteran patients concludes this paper.
1. Summary of the visited healthcare agency.
The Jacksonville outpatient clinic is part of a nationwide network of 1,063 outpatient clinics operated by the VA for eligible veteran patients (About Jacksonville VA outpatient clinic,2018). In addition, the VA operates more than 150 tertiary healthcare facilities across the country, making the agency the largest healthcare provider in the United States today. The Jacksonville VA outpatient clinic is located at 1536 North Jefferson Street and was visited around 9:00 a.m. on a recent Monday morning. Veterans with healthcare needs that are not available at the Jacksonville VA outpatient clinic or when the clinic is closed on weekends or holidays are referred to the Lake City or Gainesville VA medical centers.
2. Summary of the quality of services offered by this agency. How did employees interact with clients/patients? Was the tone friendly, helpful and courteous?
In truth, after reading about the high-profile cases of falsified patient waiting lists and callous VA employees in recent months, it was a pleasant surprise to find the staff at the Jacksonville VA outpatient courteous, respectful and friendly towards their veteran patients in spite of their numbers. One incident in particular stands out as representative of this quality of care. An elderly veteran struggling with his walker was met at the entrance to the outpatient clinic and assisted to a seat in the waiting room while a security guard summoned a patient care representative to process this patient without requiring him to stand in line with the more ambulatory patients.
3. Summarize the agency’s accessibility; for example, its hours of operation, type of clients served, specialty services (if any), etc.
The Jacksonville VA outpatient clinic has access ramps for wheelchair access and is open weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; all veteran patients who arrive during these operating hours are assured of being treated. Like most other VA outpatient clinics, this facility also provides a wide array of acute- and chronic-care medical, dental, psychiatric, outpatient surgical and nursing services (About Jacksonville VA outpatient clinic, 2018). As noted above, veteran patients in need of specialty services are referred to the Lake City or Gainesville VA medical centers.
4. What is the method of payment for services at this agency? Is it a free clinic? Do they require insurance? How are services paid for by clients/patients?
In some cases, nonservice-connected veterans are required to make a modest co-pay for medicines or provide private healthcare insurance information to the VA, but all service-connected veterans receive healthcare services completely free of charge based on the rationale that these heroes have already paid for these services in full by virtue of their service to the nation.
5. How did the agency receive accreditation and which accreditation agency are they affiliated with? How do they ensure privacy of patient records?
All VA healthcare facilities are accredited by the Joint Commission as well as other national accrediting agencies for specialty services. In addition, the VA protects the privacy of patient records through compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
6. Recommendations/suggestions for improvement.
One recurring comment that was heard during this site visit was the desire by veteran patients to know where they stood in terms of treatment priority. An electronic sign indicating which patient number will be seen next would help allay some of these concerns. In addition, the outpatient clinic should also install a patient suggestion box to help identify opportunities for improvement from the perspective of their veteran patients.



References
About Jacksonville VA outpatient clinic. (2018). Jacksonville VA Outpatient Clinic. Retrieved from https://secure-research-payment.com/writer/writer_order_detail/index/2174385#1.
Sigfurd, B. J. (2008, January). "To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan" (Abraham Lincoln): the Department of Veterans Affairs polytrauma system of care. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 89(1), 160-162.