Study: VHA administrations ‘leaner’ than private health sector

Fierce Healthcare January 23, 2024
Dave Muoio

The healthcare system’s private sector could learn a thing or two about efficiency from the government’s Veterans Health Administration, which employs about 30% less administrative staff across clinical, insurance and logistical settings, according to a recent study in JAMA Network Open.

According to the analysis of Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics and VHA personnel records, 22.5% of VHA employees hold administrative roles compared to 29.3% of healthcare workers in the private sector.

The VHA runs 171 medical centers and about 1,100 outpatient sites, providing care for 9 million enrolled veterans, researchers wrote. Applying the administration’s staffing patterns to the private sector (as of 2019) would translate to 900,000 cut administrative staff across the nation—in other words, fewer roles that...

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