Bill Overview
Title: Patient Advocate Tracker Act
Description: This act requires the Office of Patient Advocacy within the Veterans Health Administration to establish an information technology system that allows veterans or their representatives to electronically file a complaint with a patient advocate and review the status of a filed complaint.
Sponsors: Rep. McClain, Lisa C. [R-MI-10]
Target Audience
Population: Veterans using healthcare services
Estimated Size: 18000000
- The bill targets veterans who are using the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) for healthcare services, as it involves the creation of a complaint tracking system in VHA.
- The VHA is part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which serves U.S. military veterans.
- The system would also extend to include representatives of these veterans who might file complaints on behalf of the veterans.
Reasoning
- The policy targets a significant portion of the U.S. veteran population, estimated at about 18 million individuals who may directly or indirectly interface with the Veterans Health Administration.
- Given the budgetary constraints, it is necessary to focus the policy's resources on enhancing the accessibility and functionality of the complaint tracking system without excessively expanding financial or technological obligations beyond the allocated means.
- The program will primarily improve the complaint filing process, potentially impacting the wellbeing of veterans who experience dissatisfaction with their healthcare but require institutional advocacy for resolution. This improvement would most notably affect veterans and their representatives by facilitating more streamlined communication and resolution.
- While the direct impact will center on veterans and representatives engaged in active complaints, secondary benefits may accrue to the VHA personnel and other stakeholder groups through improved transparency and accountability.
- The policy may have limited direct impact on veterans who do not use VHA services or who are content with their services and have no immediate need for a complaint resolution method.
Simulated Interviews
retired veteran (Texas)
Age: 67 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think this will make it easier for us to voice our concerns and see some action on issues at VA hospitals.
- Currently, the process is slow, and it feels like our complaints disappear into a void.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 4 |
VHA healthcare administrator (California)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This system seems like it could really help us respond faster and more effectively to veterans' needs.
- A streamlined process is needed—it’s too manual right now, which leads to delays.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 3 |
Healthcare advocate (New York)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hopeful that this system will allow us to help veterans by ensuring they can see the status of their complaints.
- Greater transparency would build trust between veterans and the VA.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Veteran healthcare policy analyst (Virginia)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's a step forward in accountability for the VA, but we need to ensure it's implemented effectively.
- Budgetary constraints could limit the full potential.”
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
IT specialist (Florida)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Integrating this system could enhance user experience and service delivery for veterans.
- The budget seems sufficient to create a basic but functional system.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
retired (Ohio)
Age: 72 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If it means fewer trips to the VHA just to get updates on a complaint, that's great.
- Hope it doesn’t require tech skills I don’t have.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Caregiver (Colorado)
Age: 26 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Easier access for filing and tracking complaints would relieve some stress.
- It is difficult to keep track of everything manually.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Veteran advocate (Pennsylvania)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- A centralized complaint tracking could save time and pacify veterans who feel ignored.
- Implementing smoothly is key to it working.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Software developer (Nevada)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This will offer veterans a user-friendly system for complaints which is currently lacking.
- Tech challenges are expected but budget seems adequate for basic development.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Veteran (Arizona)
Age: 62 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope it's simple and clear to use, as navigating VA systems can sometimes be daunting.
- This should help us keep better track of what happens to our concerns.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $60000000 (Low: $50000000, High: $70000000)
Year 2: $10000000 (Low: $9000000, High: $20000000)
Year 3: $12000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $22000000)
Year 5: $15000000 (Low: $12000000, High: $25000000)
Year 10: $18000000 (Low: $14000000, High: $30000000)
Year 100: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $35000000)
Key Considerations
- The main costs arise from initial IT system development and ongoing maintenance over the coming years.
- Optimizing veteran experience could improve overall quality of life, indirectly influencing employability and economic contribution.
- The long-term benefits of improved healthcare complaint management enhance veteran satisfaction but are hard to quantify economically.