Staffing shortages at VA health systems are on the rise, watchdog finds
Health care staffing shortages at the Department of Veterans Affairs are becoming increasingly prevalent, as highlighted in a recent watchdog report released by the VA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG). The report revealed that Veterans Health Administration facilities reported a total of 4,434 staffing shortages in the current fiscal year, representing a significant 50% increase from the previous fiscal year.
Notably, the report underscored that a staggering 94% of facilities reported severe shortages for medical officers, while 79% of facilities reported severe shortages for nurses. The data included in the report was obtained through questionnaires distributed to 139 VHA facilities, comparing responses from 2025 to those from 2018-2024. This year’s questionnaires were circulated via email in March, with a deadline for completion set for early April.
It is worth mentioning that this is the eighth consecutive report to identify severe occupational staffing shortages at the facility level, based on the annual collection of data on staffing shortages at VA facilities for over a decade. However, the OIG clarified that they did not independently verify the accuracy or completeness of the VHA data. Additionally, the report acknowledged that the impact of staffing programs such as OPM’s Deferred Resignation Program and VA’s workforce reshaping efforts, which are expected to exacerbate staffing shortages, were not fully reflected in the data due to the timing of the questionnaire.
In response to the report, Pete Kasperowicz, press secretary for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, contested the findings, stating that the report was not based on actual VA health care facility vacancies and therefore not a reliable indicator of staffing shortages. Kasperowicz emphasized that the report merely listed occupations that facilities found challenging to recruit and retain, making the results subjective, non-standardized, and unreliable. He pointed out that the department-wide vacancy rates for doctors and nurses at VA were 14% and 10%, respectively, which were lower than most other health care systems and in line with normal historical averages.
Criticism of the Trump administration’s handling of the staffing shortages at VA facilities was voiced by Senator Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat. Warner expressed concerns about policies that hindered public servants from carrying out their duties effectively, ultimately impacting veterans’ access to the care they deserve. He highlighted the decline in job applications to work at VA and emphasized the importance of recruiting and retaining skilled professionals to care for veterans.
The report also revealed that more than 20% of VHA facilities reported severe staffing shortages for over 40 occupations, marking the highest number of job shortages reported since 2018. In addition, psychologists and non-clinical positions, such as police officers, also faced significant shortages at VHA facilities.
As the VA grapples with mounting staffing challenges, it is imperative for the administration to address these issues promptly to ensure that veterans receive the quality care and services they have earned. Efforts to recruit and retain qualified professionals are crucial in maintaining the integrity of the VA healthcare system and upholding the commitment to serve our nation’s heroes.
