Future Impact of Vietnam Era Veterans on Inpatient Acute Care and Mental Health Product Lines at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center

摘要

Over the years, South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS) has increased outpatient care; as a result, bed days of care (BDOC) decreased over the last ten fiscal years. Admissions, however, only decreased over the first eight-year period. In FY 1999 and FY 2000, there was a noticeable increase in admissions. The Chief of Staff questioned whether the recent increases in the number of admissions were due to the increased utilization of Vietnam Era Veterans (VEV). He also was interested in knowingwhat the likely impact and affect on utilization, admissions, BDOC and cost for treatment of VEV over the next 5 years. This retrospective study uses descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and trend analysis to observe, describe, explain, predict, test, and evaluate hypotheses associated with the relationship between non-VEV and VEV admissions. The results from this will be used to assist in developing a forecasting methodology using a best curve fit model.