Quality care process in the VA: A synopsis and comment on "Comparison of the quality of medical care in veterans affairs and non-veterans affairs settings"

The fourth column on Evidence-Based Behavioral Medicine presents a synopsis of the systematic review by Trivedi et al. (2011) comparing the quality of medical care in veterans affairs (VA) and non-VA settings. Thirty-six studies were included in the synthesis. Each article was given a grade of A, B, or C based on the six elements of high-quality studies. Most studies assessing adherence to recommended processes of care showed that the VA performed better that non-VA sites. Similar rates were found for both groups in studies that assessed risk-adjusted mortality. This implies that a greater adherence to evidence-based processes (e. g., preventive care, medication prescription, and referral) did not result in decreased morbidity and mortality. It is established that engaging in evidence-based practices and processes improves short-term intermediate endpoints (e. g., patient satisfaction). Future research is needed to test whether short-term benefits of evidence-based care processes connect to mortality outcomes.