Facilities Staffing Requirements for the Veterans Health Administration--Resource Planning and Methodology for the Future

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is America's largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,243 health care facilities, including 172 medical centers and 1,063 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity, serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year. In addition, VHA has opened outpatient clinics and established telemedicine and other services to accommodate a diverse veteran population and continues to cultivate ongoing medical research and innovation. Facilities specific to VHA fulfill clinical, operational, research laboratory, and administrative functions. Each site is designed to serve a geographical location with specific health care needs. VHA's building inventory has sites of different ages, and often there is a mix of building size and age at each site or campus. At the request of the VHA, this study presents a comprehensive resource planning and staffing methodology guidebook for VHA Facility Management Programs by reviewing the tasks of VHA building facilities staff and recommending actions for the VHA to meet the mission goals of delivering patient care, research, and effective operations.