Provides a listing of approved VA Polytrauma Sites by their designation level to assist in contacting appropriate facilities for Polytrauma rehabilitation services.

The Resident Assessment Instrument/Minimum Data Set (RAI/MDS) is a comprehensive assessment and care planning process used by the nursing home industry since 1990 as a requirement for nursing home participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The RAI/MDS provides data for monitoring changes in resident status that are consistent and reliable over time. The VA commitment to quality propelled the implementation of the RAI/MDS in its nursing homes now known as VA Community Living Centers (CLC). In addition to providing consistent clinical information, the RAI/MDS can be used as a measure of both quality and resource utilization, thereby serving as a benchmark for quality and cost data within the VA as well as with community based nursing facilities. Workload based on RAI/MDS can be calculated electronically by the interactions of the elements of the MDS data and grouped into 53 categories referred to as Resource Utilization Groups (RUG-IV). Residents are assessed quarterly. The data is grouped for analysis at the Austin Information Technology Center (AITC). Conversion to electronic data entry and transmission to the AITC was completed system-wide by year-end 2000. In 2010, the Centeres for Medicare and Medicaide Services released a significantly upgraded version, MDS 3.0, to begin to be implemented on October 1, 2011 in VHA CLCs. Training is underway currently. The MDS 3.0 will generate a new set of Quality Indicators and Quality Monitors as well the RUGs will increase to 64 RUGs from the current 53 RUG groups.

This database is part of the National Medical Information System (NMIS). The Patient Treatment File (PTF) contains a record for each inpatient care episode provided under VA auspices in VA and non-VA facilities nationwide. Each episode contains data on admission, diagnosis, procedures, surgical episodes, and disposition (discharge) information and Diagnostic Related Group (DRG). Each transfer is recorded to allocate days of care properly to the service(s) responsible for that care. Recurring and special purpose reports are used for studies on patient movement trends, diagnostic frequency, workload, budget preparation, Diagnostic Related Group (DRG) assignment and accreditation requirements. Reports are available for online access via Roger's Software Development's (RSD) Online Report Viewing. Several large data files are installed on-line at the Austin Information Technology Center for remote access. Selected data can be downloaded to perform end user processing, including report generation. Information is received from a variety of modules in Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture. This batch system is written in Common Business Oriented Language and ALC. Processing is done on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

The Non-VA Care Medical and Pharmacy System (FEE) automates the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Fee for Service program. It authorizes and pays private physicians, hospitals, and pharmacists for products and services provided to Veterans approved for the program. Veterans are reimbursed through VistA Fee for medically-related expenses including travel. Information is entered into the VistA Fee system through Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) online menus. VistA Fee is run at the Austin Information Technology Center and interfaces with the Financial Management System (FMS), the Beneficiary Identification and Records Locator System (BIRLS), and the VHA Work Measurement database (VWM), to produce payments, accounting updates, and reports. VistA Fee facilitates money management, master record updating, and input error resolution. Daily reports indicating all payments processed and erroneous input transactions are transmitted to approximately 170 Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs). Letters are sent to Veterans on a monthly basis detailing payments made on their behalf to Non-VA Care Service providers. Monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports are sent to the Veterans Affairs Central Office (VACO) and VAMCs. The Non-VA Care Fee Basis Medical System is commonly referred to as Central FEE.

The Community Residential Care Report is a listing of all facilities approved for residential care by the VA. These facilities are privately run operations not affiliated with the VA. They provide room, board, supervision, and other non-medical care to Veteran patients who cannot care for themselves but do not require the services of a Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). Information about these facilities is entered into the Fee Basis module of the Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) by every VAMC that has an agreement with a facility. This information is sent via MailMan to the VA Austin Information Technology Center where it is collected in a queue and processed quarterly. VAMCs that have sent invalid data or VAMCs that are aligned with residential care facilities and did not send data are notified. Valid data is processed and used to update the database. Quarterly reports are sent to VAMCs, Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs), Geriatrics & Extended Care Strategic Health Care Group, VA Central Office (VACO), and researchers interested in residential care information.