Puget Sound VA Facilities Get Low Rating In Annual Report

LAKEWOOD, WA - The Department of Veterans Affairs released its annual ratings for VA medical centers across the country. In a press release, the department said the ratings for the end of fiscal year 2018 “evaluate and benchmark quality of care delivery” at 146 VA facilities, including all the facilities in the Puget Sound area.

According to the VA, compared with data for the same period for 2017, 66 percent of its facilities had an improvement in overall quality in the third quarter. Six VA facilities had a decline in quality and the department says improvement activities are underway at those centers.

The star rating system (1-5) used by the VA measures a facility’s relative performance compared to other VA medical centers. Each center is also assessed for quality based on improvement compared to its own performance from the past year.

The Puget Sound facilities scored a 2 out of 5 stars. The facilities were rated as a group instead of individually. Although still a low score, the local facilities improved over the previous year's rankings.

The Spokane VA fared slight better, scoring a 3 out of 5.

As The Huffington Post noted, nine hospitals earned the lowest possible one-star rating compared to 14 last year. The number of hospitals that received a five-star rating dropped by two compared to 2017 as just 17 hospitals achieved that score.

“With closer monitoring and increased medical center leadership and support, we have seen solid improvements at most of our facilities,” VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said in the press release. “Even our highest performing facilities are getting better, and that is driving up our quality standards across the country.”

You can see the complete ratings here.

Photo courtesy Veterans Administration