Tipton, Crow, Gardner, Peters Introduce Legislation to Overhaul Veterans Affairs Hiring Process

Statement

Representatives Scott Tipton (CO-3) and Jason Crow (CO-6), along with Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Gary Peters (D-MI), introduced the Veterans Improved Access and Care Act, legislation designed to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hiring process to make it easier to fill staffing shortages at the agency.

Many VA hospitals continue to experience long wait times and staffing shortages as a result of a lengthy hiring process, and a primary driver of the protracted hiring process is the onboarding process for licensed medical providers. According to a McKinsey and Company Assessment from September 2015, the VA hiring timeline spans 4-8 months while a typical private sector organization hires staff between 0.5 and 2 months. Furthermore, "candidates for many roles are often unwilling to wait roughly six months to be on boarded, especially when positions with other hospitals are readily available."

This bipartisan legislation aims to address this problem by authorizing the VA to establish a pilot program to expedite the hiring of licensed medical professionals in locations where there are shortages of available specialists. The bill also requires the VA Secretary to submit a report detailing a strategy on how to reduce the length of the VA's hiring process by half for licensed medical professionals.

"Veterans should receive high quality medical care without unnecessary wait times," said Congressman Tipton. "It's unacceptable that many veterans' access to doctors and medical specialists is delayed because of VA staff shortages in part because of a bureaucratic hiring process. I am pleased to join my colleagues in introducing legislation to shorten wait times and will continue to look for ways to ensure veterans receive the best care and services possible."

"In order to reduce wait times and provide timely care to our veterans, we must address the root of the problem at many VA facilities in Colorado and across the country: staffing shortages," said Gardner. "When it comes to the VA hiring medical professionals we cannot let government bureaucracy and red tape stand in the way. The VA Secretary needs to take meaningful action to reform the hiring process and make sure facilities are able to hire the medical professionals needed to serve our veterans."

"It's critical that the VA medical facilities our veterans rely on are fully staffed by qualified doctors, nurses and health care professionals," said Senator Peters. "This bipartisan legislation would help address the staffing shortage by streamlining the hiring process across the VA system, so that veterans in Michigan and every corner of the country have access to timely, quality medical care."

"For some veterans, long wait times and bureaucracy at the VA can be more than just frustrating, it can be devastating. As a veteran, and now a member of Congress, I promise to never turn my back on those that served and this bill is an important first step to finding new solutions to help remedy some of the troubles plaguing the VA," said Rep. Crow. "Right now, there are over 40,000 vacancies at the VA across its departments. Expediting the hiring process ensures we quickly and efficiently hire medical personnel who provide the medical care our veterans need and deserve."

Source