New study finds VA was better at preventing deaths related to COVID-19

Last month, a study published in The Lancet Regional Health revealed that Veterans died at lower rates in 2020 compared to the general population. 

“This suggests VA performed better than expected,” said Kevin Griffith, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center who studies the VA. “Despite VA-enrolled veterans having a higher prevalence of risk factors for severe COVID-19 illness, their rate of excess deaths was markedly lower than what was observed in the general population.” 

The study, conducted by researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Boston University, looked at the demographics and health of 11.4 million veterans at the county level between 2016 and 2019. Several analytical models were then developed to predict rates of mortality from March to December 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic swept the country, flooding hospitals and critical care units with sick patients. 

The data revealed that deaths among veterans using VA health care increased 16% in 2020, compared to a 23% increase in the general population. Researchers concluded that despite a higher number of comorbidities in the veteran population, VA performed better at preventing deaths related to the pandemic. These comorbidities, including advanced age, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, are known to increase the risk of negative outcomes due to COVID-19. 

The researchers speculated that one reason behind this finding is that VA already had an existing telehealth infrastructure in place. 

Before the pandemic, VA would do about 40,000 telehealth visits in a month. Now VA may do 40,000 telehealth visits in a single day. With virtual health care, VA did not miss a beat in providing high quality care to Veterans during the pandemic. In fact, many Veterans have chosen to remain with virtual care even when an in-person appointment is offered. 

Another reason may be VA’s integrated health care model. Over the years, VA has evolved into an interconnected, institutionalized system of care and services. And while many of these services aren’t unique to the VA, it is the only health care organization that combines these services “under one roof” and integrates them in a way that is veteran-centric. 

Many studies support this by confirming that fragmented health care increases the risk of adverse health outcomes, including prescription opioid overdose. The risks associated with using multiple systems of care are amplified in high-risk populations, such as those with dementia — and VA patients do skew older and have higher health burdens than non-VA patients.