The Academic Affiliate Guide to Health Care Resources Contracting with the Department of Veteran’s Affairs 2014

Mission

This guide provides educational institutions affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and health care providers the information needed to understand the laws, regulations, operations and processes involved in health care acquisitions that involve graduate medical or dental educational training.

The VA conducts an education and training program for health profession trainees to enhance the quality of care provided to Veteran patients within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system. In accordance with this statutory mission, "To educate for VA and for the Nation", education and training efforts are accomplished through coordinated programs and activities in partnership with affiliated U.S. academic institutions.

In 2013, 118,799 trainees received some or all of their clinical training in VA. Of its 152 VA medical centers and 6 independent outpatient clinics (IOC's), 124 hospitals and 3 IOC's have affiliation agreements with 130 of 141 allopathic Accredited Medical Schools and 22 of 29 osteopathic medical schools for physician education, and in 40 other health professions represented by over 5,000 individual affiliation agreements with more than 1,800 colleges and universities.

Pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 8153 mandates that VA assist in the training of health professionals for its own needs and those of the nation. For almost sixty years, the VA has worked in partnership with this country's medical and associated health professions schools to provide high quality health care to America's veterans and to train new health professionals to meet the patient care needs within VA and the nation. This partnership has grown into the most comprehensive academic health system partnership in history.


To Educate for the VA and the Nation

Office of Academic Affiliation (OAA)

The Office of Academic Affiliation (OAA)’s mission is to oversee and improve VA’s academic partnerships and educational programs. The OAA provides assistance as the education subject matter expert (SME) to the MSO for matters of educational policy. OAA acts as a SME on all contracts where sole source justification is used for acquiring health care resources in a specialty or service with and without a physician residency program. OAA also provides assistance as a SME on all competed contracts and uses standardized criteria to evaluate potential impact on educational programs, VA staffing or affiliation effectiveness. OAA works to:

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  Enhance communication with internal and external stakeholders, including affiliates
  
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  Develop strategic alliances that benefit VA’s educational programs
  
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  Foster excellence and innovation in learning
  
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  Resource Designated Education Officers (DEO) at the facility and other program offices
  

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  Ensure that VA’s educational programs enhance its clinical mission
  

The VHA conducts education and training programs to enhance the quality of care provided to Veterans within the VA health care system. Building on the long-standing, close relationships among VA and the Nation’s academic institutions, VA plays a leadership role in defining the education of future health care professionals that helps meet the changing needs of the nation’s health care delivery system.