Challenge
For the first time, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care has been identified by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) as one of the federal government’s top 32 high-risk areas. The GAO categorized its concerns into five themes (risk issues), addressing concerns over VA’s ability to ensure the timeliness, cost-effectiveness, quality, and safety of health care. VA is now implementing formal and long-term portfolio, program, and project management frameworks and processes to address this high-risk designation. However, the agency determined that it needed outside assistance, management, and expertise for this task.
Solution
VA contracted Atlas Research to provide portfolio management, program management, and project management. The Atlas Team is providing the operational support and expertise necessary to establish a strategic foundation and solid framework for the short, mid, and long-term management of VA’s health care GAO High-Risk list area.
Result
Atlas is working with VA and the Office of the DUSHOE to develop a comprehensive portfolio management plan and an integrated master schedule that will provide a clear delineation of work streams. Atlas is also partnering with VA to improve performance and efficiency by defining roles and responsibilities for the Program Executive office, identifying and mitigating dependencies, and creating and implementing risk and escalation processes.