Metro East Sun

Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization, led a hearing today focused on the challenges in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) appointment scheduling systems. The oversight hearing, titled "Ensuring Timely Access: Challenges in VA Scheduling," aimed to address ongoing issues with both Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and community care scheduling.

In his opening remarks, Rosendale highlighted persistent difficulties veterans face in securing appointments, despite efforts to modernize the system. "Ten years after the wait time scandal, it is still too difficult for veterans to get appointments in the Veterans Health Administration or in the community," he said.

Rosendale emphasized that both VHA and community care systems remain bureaucratic and challenging to navigate. He pointed out that IT systems have not been prioritized adequately, leading to prolonged project timelines. "These IT systems have not been a high priority, and the projects that are consuming the lion’s share of the IT budget do little to solve this problem," he noted.

The Chairman acknowledged efforts to improve scheduling through various tools such as the Integrated Scheduling Solution, Clinical Capacity Search Tool, and Clinic Configuration Manager but questioned why these initiatives took so long to commence and why their completion would take years. "I question why the Department waited so long to start these projects and why some of them will take so many years to complete," he remarked.

Rosendale criticized past decisions by VA leaders, particularly the abandonment of the Medical Appointment Scheduling System (MASS) in 2019. He stated that this decision paved the way for Cerner's inferior system, which has had lasting negative impacts. "This was a disastrous decision that we are all still paying for," he asserted.

The hearing also covered Well Hive's External Provider Scheduling system, which has shown success in reducing referral and scheduling times from 26.6 days to 17 days according to VA statistics. Despite its effectiveness, Rosendale expressed concerns about recent decisions restricting Well Hive's implementation and expansion. "Early on, there were caps on how many schedulers at each medical center could use Well Hive... Now, VA tells us the Well Hive system will be turned off in four medical centers where it was already implemented," he explained.

Addressing budgetary concerns, Rosendale mentioned a recent House decision seeking an explanation for a VHA budget shortfall before approving additional funds. He stressed that while Congress aims to prevent disruptions in veteran care, cutting funds for successful projects like Well Hive would be counterproductive. "It would be incredibly shortsighted to cause lasting damage to this project with budget cuts that will quickly disappear everywhere else," he warned.

Rosendale concluded by expressing his hope that political motives are not undermining community care initiatives within VA leadership. "I have serious concerns that the current leaders of the Department of Veterans Affairs might be intentionally undermining this project—and making veterans’ health care slower and more difficult—out of a political hostility to community care."

Following his remarks, Ranking Member Cherfilus-McCormick delivered her opening statement.