“Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie outlined the extent of support VA has provided to bolster the national COVID-19 response in remarks presented before the George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs last week.”
“One of the VA’s core responsibilities is to act as America’s health system of record during times of national crisis, particularly through augmenting local response when unforeseen stressors demand manpower and resources beyond those that can be provided by regional clinics. Known as the agency’s ‘Fourth Mission,’ this entails caring for patients typically not treated within the VA’s network — and necessitates a judicious use of agency capacities while maintaining services allocated for America’s veterans.”
“As Secretary Wilkie disclosed, the agency’s Fourth Mission now covers nearly every state in the U.S. and includes thousands of non-VA patients currently receiving emergency care for COVID-19…”
“This has included a special attention to aiding the country’s epidemiological crisis points, with the VA shifting the focus of its Fourth Mission to covering patient care in regions where the upsurge of COVID-19 cases has overwhelmed local hospitals. This has also included converting building space into impromptu clinics to expand the availability of emergency care…”
“Beyond the dynamic nature of the VA’s Fourth Mission, the agency appears to be hiring a bulwark of personnel to manage the demands of the COVID-19 crisis — with the vast majority of new staff slated to be kept as long-term practitioners. This long-term hiring focus appears to be part of a preparatory measure in light of the potential for recurrent waves of COVID-19…” Read the full article here.
Source: Wilkie: VA Caring for 9,000 Civilians Amid COVID-19 Response – By Adam Patterson, July 13, 2020. GovernmentCIO.
