The Department of Veterans Affairs said last week that the trust of veterans in the Lebanon VAMC has risen to the highest level recorded, reaching 95.4 percent in 2023.
That’s up from 92.3 percent in 2018, the first year the VA conducted this survey.
According to a press release from the VA, the survey was conducted among veteran patients who received care from the department during a 90-day period. Within one week of using VA services, participants were asked about their trust in the department across various categories including scheduling an appointment, health care visits, in-person pharmacy, mail-order pharmacy, labs/imaging, and veteran safety.
The VA said the results reflect findings of recent independent studies, which showed that VA hospitals outperformed non-VA hospitals in core patient satisfaction metrics. According to a Medicare survey, VA has also consistently outperformed non-VA care in areas such as overall hospital rating, communication with doctors, communication about medication, and willingness to recommend the hospital.
Jeffrey A. Beiler II, medical center director for the Lebanon VA, said the VAMC’s goal is for every veteran they serve, as well as their families, “to have a positive patient experience during every interaction with our medical center, and to feel valued, appreciated, and know that they are getting the best quality care.”
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The department also said that the number of veterans enrolled in its healthcare system has significantly increased in recent years, with 401,006 veterans enrolled in VA health care over the past 365 days, which is 30 percent more than the previous year. This is the highest number of enrollees in a single year in at least the past five years, the release said, and nearly a 50% increase over pandemic-era enrollment in 2020.
This growth in enrollment is likely linked to the expansion of VA healthcare eligibility after the passage of the bipartisan PACT Act, which provides coverage to veterans exposed to toxins and other hazards while serving in the military. It also covers veterans who served in certain combat zones after 9/11 and veterans who never deployed but were exposed to toxins or hazards during training or while on active duty.
Read More: Veterans exposed to toxins now eligible for VA health care without benefits
The VA said in the release that it is committed to providing the highest quality care to veterans and will continue to aggressively reach out to veterans to encourage them to enroll in VA healthcare.
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