Title: Strategic Intelligence Monitor on Personal Health Systems Phase 3 (SIMPHS 3) – Veterans Health Administration (USA) Case Study Report

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is an agency of the United States Department of Veterans’ Affairs (this Department that has the 3rd largest budget among departments of the US administration). The medical assistance program implemented by the VHA is the largest integrated care system in the US (consisting of 150 medical centres and nearly 1,700 facilities comprising community-based outpatient clinics, community living centres, Veterans’ Centres and domiciliary assistance). It provides comprehensive care to almost 9 million veterans every year. The VHA is centrally administered and fully integrated; its services are funded and provided by the federal government. Therefore the VHA works both as a provider and payer, a rather unusual feature in the US health care structure. In fact, VHA is the only truly national health care system in the US, with hospitals or other facilities in every state and major metropolitan area of the country, as well as in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Philippines. The VHA network is divided into 23 Veterans Integrated Service Networks, or VISNs, i.e. regional systems of care working together to better meet local health care needs and provide greater access to care.