
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) runs programs that benefit veterans and their families. These include education opportunities, rehabilitation services, and compensation payments for disabilities or death related to military service. The VA also provides healthcare services through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), which operates hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes. As of 2022, there were 168 VA hospitals with inpatient beds across the United States. The VHA is the largest integrated healthcare system in the US, employing over 350,000 people and serving 9.1 million veterans annually.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of medical centers | 170-171 |
| Number of outpatient sites of care | 1,193 |
| Total number of healthcare facilities | 1,380 |
| Number of enrolled veterans served annually | 9.1 million |
| Number of VA hospitals tracked by Definitive Healthcare HospitalView | 168 |
| Number of hospitals in VISN 2, the largest VISN | 15 |
| Number of hospitals in the VA Healthcare System Serving Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan (VISN 10) | 12 |
| Number of hospitals in the VA New England Healthcare System (VISN 1) | 11 |
| Number of hospitals in VA Healthcare (VISN 4) | 11 |
| Number of VA Medical Centers (VAMC) with integrated outpatient clinics | 146 |
| Number of Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) | 772 |
| Number of VA Community Living Centers (VA Nursing Home) Programs | 134 |
| Number of hospitals in operation in 1947 | 97 |
| Number of new hospitals built by 1947 | 29 |
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What You'll Learn

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
The VHA is home to the United States' largest integrated healthcare system, consisting of 170 medical centres, including 146 VA Medical Centres (VAMC) with integrated outpatient clinics, 772 Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC), and 134 VA Community Living Centres (VA Nursing Home) Programs. The VHA also has initiatives in place to provide a "seamless transition" for newly discharged veterans moving from Department of Defense healthcare to VA care for conditions incurred during the Iraq or Afghanistan wars.
The VHA has also supported research and training programs, helping to train thousands of physicians, dentists, and other health professionals. Several newer VA medical centres have been purposely located adjacent to medical schools. The VHA's support has made the VA system a leader in geriatrics, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson's disease, and palliative care. The VHA's Office of Research and Development has also conducted research into developing better-functioning prosthetic limbs and treating PTSD.
The VHA has faced criticism in the past for its high operative mortality rates and misconduct of employees. In 2014, a report detailed the many veterans who had died while waiting for healthcare due to VA misconduct, secret waiting lists, and poor patient care. However, a VA Inspector General's report issued the same year stated that six, not forty, veterans had died due to "clinically significant delays" while on waiting lists to see a VA doctor.
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Medical care access and eligibility
The VHA provides healthcare and healthcare-adjacent services to veterans through the administration and operation of 146 VA Medical Centers (VAMC) with integrated outpatient clinics, 772 Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC), and 134 VA Community Living Centres (VA Nursing Home) Programs. The VHA also has initiatives in place to provide a "seamless transition" for newly discharged veterans moving from Department of Defense healthcare to VA care for conditions incurred during the Iraq or Afghanistan wars.
Veterans' health care in the United States is geographically divided into 19 regions, or Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs). VISNs are hierarchically organized within each system by division level of care or type. There are currently 170 VA Medical Centers and approximately 1,193 community-based outpatient clinics in the US. However, one source states that there are 171 VA medical centers, including hospitals and large outpatient centers.
Veterans and family members who served on active duty or resided at Camp Lejeune for 30 days or more between January 1, 1957, and December 31, 1987, may be eligible for medical care through the VA for 15 health conditions. From the 1950s to the 1980s, people living or working at the US Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina were potentially exposed to drinking water contaminated with industrial solvents, benzene, and other chemicals.
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VA health regions
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is led by the under secretary of veterans affairs and provides healthcare and healthcare-adjacent services to veterans. The VA oversees the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), which implements the healthcare program of the VA through a nationalized healthcare service. The VHA is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,380 health care facilities, including 170 medical centres and 1,193 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics). The VHA operates 146 VA Medical Centres (VAMC) with integrated outpatient clinics, 772 Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC), and 134 VA Community Living Centres (VA Nursing Home) Programs.
Veterans' health care in the United States is geographically separated into 19 regions, known as VISNs (Veterans Integrated Service Networks). These regions are numbered 1, 2, 4–10, 12, and 15–23. Each VISN is headed by a medical centre, and each system within the network is hierarchically organized by division level of care or type.
The VHA has helped train thousands of physicians, dentists, and other health professionals through its academic affiliations. Several newer VA medical centres have been purposely located adjacent to medical schools. The VHA has also been a leader in research and residency/fellowship training programs, particularly in the fields of geriatrics, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson's disease, and palliative care.
The VA health system has faced criticism in the past for its high operative mortality rates and misconduct of employees, including secret waiting lists, poor patient care, and covering up statistics. However, it continues to serve a large population of veterans and their families, providing a range of services to support their health and well-being.
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VA health centres and hospitals
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) runs programs that benefit veterans and their families, including providing healthcare services. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the component of the VA that implements the healthcare program through a nationalized healthcare service. The VHA is the largest integrated healthcare system in the US, providing care at 1,380 healthcare facilities, including 170 medical centres and 1,193 outpatient sites of care.
The VHA operates 146 VA Medical Centres (VAMC) with integrated outpatient clinics, 772 Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC), and 134 VA Community Living Centres (VA Nursing Home) Programs. The VHA has initiatives in place to provide a "seamless transition" to newly discharged veterans transitioning from Department of Defense healthcare to VA care for conditions incurred during the Iraq or Afghanistan wars.
The VA's healthcare system includes hospitals and large outpatient centres. There are 171 medical centres, including 168 VA hospitals with inpatient beds. VISN 2, the VA New York/New Jersey VA Health Care Network, is the largest VISN and has 15 hospitals. The VA Healthcare System Serving Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan (VISN 10) has 12 hospitals. The VA New England Healthcare System (VISN 1) and VA Healthcare (VISN 4), with locations in Pennsylvania, each have 11 hospitals.
The VHA has helped train thousands of physicians, dentists, and other health professionals through its academic affiliations. Several newer VA medical centres have been purposely located adjacent to medical schools. The VHA's support for research and residency/fellowship training programs has made the VA system a leader in geriatrics, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson's disease, and palliative care.
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VA health programs and services
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the United States' largest integrated healthcare system, providing care at 1,380 healthcare facilities, including 170 medical centres and 1,193 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics). The VHA is a component of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and is the department's largest division.
The VHA provides healthcare and healthcare-adjacent services to veterans through the administration and operation of 146 VA Medical Centres (VAMC) with integrated outpatient clinics, 772 Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC), and 134 VA Community Living Centres (VA Nursing Home) Programs. The VHA employs over 350,000 people, and all staff are federal employees.
The VHA offers a wide range of health programs and services to veterans, including primary and specialty care, home health, geriatric (elder), women's health, and mental health care, as well as prescriptions. They also cover urgent and emergency care services, such as urgent care for injuries and illnesses that require immediate attention but are not life-threatening. The VHA also provides specialised care, including organ transplants, intensive care for mental and physical conditions, and care for traumatic injuries.
In addition to medical care, the VHA also offers a range of other services to support veterans and their families. This includes assistance with filing claims for disability compensation, managing disability benefits, and providing information on life insurance options. The VHA also offers burial benefits and education benefits to help with college and training programs.
The VHA has a strong focus on research and training, with academic affiliations that have helped train thousands of physicians, dentists, and other health professionals. The VHA's support for research and residency/fellowship training programs has made the VA a leader in several fields, including geriatrics, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson's disease, and palliative care. The VHA has also devoted many years of research into developing better-functioning prosthetic limbs and treating PTSD and the health effects of the herbicide Agent Orange used during the Vietnam War.
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Frequently asked questions
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the United States Department of Veterans Affairs division that operates hospitals, clinics, and medical centres for veterans. As of 2022, there are 168 hospitals with inpatient beds.
There are 170-171 medical centres, including hospitals and large outpatient centres.
The VHA is the largest division of the Department of Veterans Affairs, employing over 350,000 people. It provides healthcare services to veterans through its administration and operation of VA medical centres and clinics.
The VHA also operates 772 Community-Based Outpatient Clinics and 134 VA Community Living Centres (VA Nursing Home) Programs.
The VHA was elevated to a Cabinet-level position in 1988 when President Reagan signed the Department of Veterans Affairs Act.








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