"McClatchy reviewed two dozen mental-health measures, based in part on an analysis of every inpatient and outpatient visit in the VA health system.
"Among the findings:
"• Some veterans get in for visits far more than others. The average number of visits per veteran with PTSD ranged from 22 in the Hudson Valley, N.Y., medical center and clinics to a low of 3.1 in Fargo, N.D. The national average was 8.1.
"• Some VA medical centers spend far more on mental-health care than others. In Connecticut, it was an average of $2,317 for each veteran's outpatient psychiatric care. In Saginaw, Mich., it was $468.
"• Some veterans get in quickly. Others wait. At the Loma Linda, Calif., VA network, only 39 percent of new mental-health patients were able to get appointments within 30 days, the VA's standard. In other networks, 90 percent or more did.
"• Once they're in the door, some veterans get visits of 75 to 80 minutes, while others get 20- to 30-minute appointments, the shortest psychotherapy appointments listed in the system.
No comments:
Post a Comment