[Federal Register: August 8, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 153)]
[Notices]
[Page 47382-47383]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08au03-122]
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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Draft National Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services
(CARES) Plan
AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This document concerns VA's health care planning process known
as CARES, or Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services. The CARES
process was designed to enable the veterans health care system to more
effectively use its resources to deliver more care, to more veterans,
in places where veterans need it most. We are providing interested
persons the opportunity to review and submit written comments to the
independent CARES Commission concerning the draft National CARES Plan
of the Under Secretary for Health.
DATES: Comments may be submitted until further notice is published in
the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Written comments can be mailed to Richard E. Larson,
Executive Director, CARES Commission, 00CARES, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20480; or faxed to (202) 501-2196; or e-mail to http://www.carescommission.va.gov.
Comments should indicate that they are
submitted in response to the ``Notice; Draft National Capital Asset
Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) Plan.''
[[Page 47383]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janice R. Sloan, CARES Commission, at
(202) 501-2000.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VA's mission to provide quality health care
for America's veterans has not changed since its inception. But how
that care is provided--at what kind of facilities, where they are
located and which types of procedures are used--has been subject to
dynamic change. Medical advances, modern health care trends, and
veteran migrations all have an impact on the medical care landscape. In
a dynamic health care environment, VA must plan to embrace change so it
can best serve veterans health care needs in the future.
The draft National CARES Plan embodies the plan for managing a
vital element of that change: The Department's capital infrastructure.
The plan is based on a systematic, national assessment of the future
needs of veterans and the present location and condition of the
physical plant that delivers their health care. The draft National
CARES Plan identifies gaps where there is an imbalance between current
infrastructure and future needs. It then makes recommendations to solve
these imbalances and assure that VA is best positioned to meet veterans
health care needs into the future.
The draft Plan incorporates new community-based primary and
specialty outpatient clinics. Additionally, four new Spinal Cord Injury
and Disorders Units have been proposed, along with two new Blind
Rehabilitation Centers. Other enhancements include expansion of
numerous existing outpatient clinics, renovations of inpatient beds,
diagnostic and ancillary services, as well as two new hospitals.
The full plan, all appendices, and related information can be
viewed at http://www.va.gov/CARES. It also is available for inspection
in the Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave., NW., Room
1063B, Washington, DC 20420. The draft National CARES Plan, including
an appendix that summarizes individual network plans, which was
prepared by VA's Under Secretary for Health after review of present and
projected user data, as well as input from a wide range of sources and
stakeholders and the individual network plans will be published in
another Federal Register notice in the near future.
The independent CARES Commission, appointed by the VA Secretary, is
evaluating this draft National CARES Plan, which incorporates
individual network Market Plans. Members of the Commission include
individuals with special knowledge or interest relating to VA health
care, as well as representatives from stakeholders' groups.
This notice provides interested persons an opportunity to submit
written comments concerning the draft National CARES Plan to the CARES
Commission. The Commission will consider these comments in developing
its recommendations to the VA Secretary. Under the CARES process, the
Secretary will either accept or reject the Commission's
recommendations, without modification.
Dated: August 6, 2003.
Tim S. McClain,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 03-20396 Filed 8-6-03; 3:18 pm]
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