Veterans Health Insurance Swot Analysis 2014

Veterans Health Administration SWOT Analysis

Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the Veterans Health Administration strategic planning analysis using the SWOT method. The strengths of the organization would be aspects that add value. The weaknesses of the organization would be the gaps in capabilities or service areas. The opportunities would consist of changes that are in the population profile or need. Lastly, you have threats which would consist of changes in regulations and reimbursements.

According to www.va.gov states, “their core values are: Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence.”

Veterans Health Administration SWOT Analysis

Internal

Strengths

• Decentralized management of leadership

to allow for veterans integrated service network
(VISNs) to make operational decisions and manage the network’s fiscal budget.
• The VHA is a leader in medical merit with a strong graduate medical educational programs, a robust inpatient structure, and advanced medical research.
• The largest integrated healthcare system in the United States Weaknesses

• Poor communication and sharing of best practices throughout the VHA
• Lack of leadership training in strategic analysis, marking planning, decision making, and
negotiating contracts
• Limited access to outpatient care to include lengthy distance and long wait times for
routine appointments

External
Opportunities

• Ability to lead the nation the largest integrated health-care system to focus on a system of health rather than healthcare.

• The capacity to provide medical care to a unique, deserving, and growing patient population—the veterans of the armed forces.

• Threats

• The growing national deficit potentially restricting funds to the VHA

• The escalating cost of healthcare, staffing shortages, and increasing demand for services

• Uncertainty of healthcare reform

The SWOT of Veterans Health Administration is listed above. (Kessinger, S., 2014)

Veterans Health Administration SWOT Analysis

I. Internal and external assessments

The internal assessments are giving by professional peer review which consists of hospital and/or clinic peer reviews. According to VHA Directive (2008) states, “After a case is identified for peer review, an assigned reviewer makes an initial

assessment and records one of three scores. Level 1 indicates the opinion that “most experienced, competent practitioners would have managed the case in a similar manner,” while Level 2 indicates that most practitioners might have managed the case differently and Level 3 that most practitioners would have managed the case differently.” The external assessments are giving by contractors whom collects information from the medical records, then provide the out-patient clinics and medical centers would receive information regarding the procedures and diagnosis regarding the level of

care.
II. Competitive marketing analysis
The Veterans Health Administration is the largest formed healthcare in the nation. However, the VHA is focused on the veterans and how they plan to focus on medical research, training healthcare professionals, and assistance to homeless veterans has a positive national impact. According to Kessinger, S (2014) states, “The competitive private market has quicker access to care, less variation in quality, and the ability to adapt quickly to the changing healthcare environment. As healthcare policy is evolving, many private sectors have transformed their business practice towards outpatient care. The VHA bureaucracy is cumbersome and the process to modify policy and implement organizational change is lengthy;
Veterans Health Administration SWOT Analysis
resulting in a substantial challenge when competing with private healthcare systems.”
III. Identification of Stakeholders
There are three kinds of stakeholders. You have your primary stakeholders who are considered the individuals or groups to be affected in a positive or negative way depending on the results of what the actions taken by the organization. The beneficiaries or targets of the effort are considered the primary stakeholders.
Then you have the secondary stakeholders that are being defined as not being directly affected rather it is positive or negative regardless of what the actions were the organization took. The secondary stake holders basically consists of those directly involved with or responsible for beneficiaries or targets of the effort
Lastly, you have the key stakeholders, who are government officials and policy makers who could belong to either one of those two groups provided. According to www.ctb.ku.edu (2016) states, “The director of an organization might be an obvious key stakeholder, but so might the line staff – those who work directly with participants – who carry out the work of the effort. If they don’t believe in what they’re doing or don’t do it well, it might as well not have begun. Other examples of key stakeholders might be funders, elected or appointed government officials, heads of businesses, or clergy and other community figures who wield a significant amount of influence.”

Veterans Health Administration SWOT Analysis
IV.

Public entities and regulatory requirements

As a result, The Regulatory Plan (2012) states, “VA’s regulatory priorities include a special project to undertake a comprehensive review and improvement of its existing regulations. The first portion of this project is devoted to reviewing,

reorganizing, and rewriting the VA’s compensation and pension regulations found in 38 CFR part 3. The goal of the Regulation Rewrite Project is to improve the clarity and logical consistency of these regulations in order to better inform veterans and their family members of their entitlements.”

V. Competencies and resources

VA Learning University (2011) “Competencies are the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to build a highly competent organization capable of meeting current and future challenges. Competencies form the foundation of our development efforts and help each employee understand what is necessary to grown and advance in their career.” According to VA Learning University (2011) states, “Competencies are set a common standard for successful performance for all employees. Provide a direct link to training and development options. Help employees understand the path for career growth. Help employees better meet the needs of our Veterans and their

families.”

Veterans Health Administration SWOT Analysis
VI. STRATEGIES
Per the www.va.org website there strategies consist of
• To empower veterans to improve their well-being.
• To enhance and develop trusted partnerships.
• Manage and Improve VA Operations to deliver seamless and integrated support.

The VHA has values, a mission, a vision, & principles. The Strategic Plan from 2013 to 2018 was to continue the excellence and value of health care with some tremendous benefits. However, from a personal experience of having my father be a part of the VA he has had a very hard time getting the respect, integrity, commitment, advocacy, and excellence of the benefits being paid without having a hard time. Honestly, this is why I did my evaluation on the Veterans Health Administration to see how I could help my father. I feel as though the VA should really consider sticking to the Plan of making sure the veterans are well taken care of because cutting their benefits could really hurt them in the long. These veterans put their lives on the line and to have your government gain everything then cut their benefits is not standing up to their word of values which is being “who we are.”

Conclusion
As a result, of using the SWOT methods for the Veteran Health Administration the strengths of having the largest integrated system added value. As well as the weaknesses because of the lengthy distances and/or long waiting times makes it hard for plenty. Then, you have the opportunities which is a great situation being able to provide health care to the armed forces who has fought for our country and put their lives on the line is a blessing. Lastly, you have the threats which are not knowing how the reform is going to affect health care and/or affect the employees by cutting staff.