dr. clancy? >> i think that's an incredibly important question and one that we share your concerns and also recognize that since integrity of data has been a problem for us, we not only need to clean up our policies and stream line them but that we also need to have some independent valid addition thvalidation that it can be assured by a third-party. >> that has not been done? >> not yet because the scheduling new policies -- >> any of the data has not been independently confirmed >> the rvu data is independently validated. >> if we have falsified data and we've shown that va admitted to that, the gaming strategy four years ago admitted that was going on, i don't know how the data could be valid or reliable in either case based on what dr. clancy just said. i'm trying to find out how you can assure me the numbers you gave here match what's happening in the real world. >> congressman, point well taken. va does need to establish the integrity of their data. i will take your comments back to the off

dr. clancy and dr. lynch and the leadership as we get through the this immediate crisis, if we lose this opportunity to address the real systemic structural cultural problems within the va, you know, i think that we will be right back here again in another couple years, five years, ten years, having this very same discussion. so while addressing care and connecting veterans to care is important, let's make sure we don't stop there. we need to address the l cultur the operations in the system. anyhow, i thank you for your answers and your work on this. i yield back. >> thank you very much, mr. jolley, you're recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman. dr. lynch, i want to give credit where it's due. i recently hosted in my congressional district what i called a va intake day. invited the community to come in and talk about their care, their complement at both bay pines and haley. we had about 300 people come in and i will tell you we had a lot of people come in simply to defend the va health

dr. clancy and dr.lynch and the leadership as we get through the this immediate crisis, if we lose this opportunititon address the real systemic structural cultural problems within the va, you know, i think that we will be right back here again in another couple years, five years, ten years having this very same discussion. so while addressing care and connecting veterans to care is important, let's make sure we don't stop there. we need to address the culture, the operations and the system. anyhow, i thank you for your answers and your work on this. i yield back. >> thank you very much, mr. jolly, recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman. dr. lynch, i want to give credit where it's due. i recently hosted in my kong griggs.district what i called a va intake day, invited the community to come in and talk about their care, their concerns at both bay pines and haily. we had about 300 people come in and i will tell you we had a lot of people come in simply to defend the va health care that th

dr. clancy and dr. lynch and the leadership as we get through the this immediate crisis, if we lose this opportunititon address the real systemic structural cultural problems within the va, you know, i think that we will be right back here again in another couple years, five years, ten years having this very same discussion. so while addressing care and connecting veterans to care is important, let's make sure we don't stop there. we need to address the culture, the operations and the system. anyhow, i thank you for your answers and your work on this. i yield back. >> thank you very much, mr. jolly, recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman. dr. lynch, i want to give credit where it's due. i recently hosted in my kong griggs.district what i called a va intake day, invited the community to come in and talk about their care, their concerns at both bay pines and haily. we had about 300 people come in and i will tell you we had a lot of people come in simply to defend the va health care that t

dr. clancy? >> i haven't. i haven't for a number of years. i've actually looked into what would be required. >> but you're both doctors? >> yes. >> we don't have the enough doctors. so i'm going to say what vietnam veterans of america made this suggestion to you and you said in the question was asked, you haven't contracted with them. this is what they said you need to do. all vhs staff with clinical credentials and training who are not currently direct service providers need to see patients four days a week. get out of the administrative office and guess see patients. i would think you would be turning over every stone to find a physician who is already in the system. it may not seem like a fair question. but the ability to call fundamental cultural change a second order question and we'll get to it when we get this done, you can be multitask. get that done. that is, of course, a priority. but the not addressing this we're going to come back here again. and that is more of a statement. and believe me, it pains me that we're at this point. it

dr. clancy? >> i haven't. i haven't for a number of years. i've actually looked into what would be required. >> but you're both doctors? >> yes. >> we don't have the enough doctors. so i'm going to say what vietnam veterans of america made this suggestion to you and you said in the question was asked, you haven't contracted with them. this is what they said you need to do. all vhs staff with clinical credentials and training who are not currently direct service providers need to see patients four days a week. get out of the administrative office and guess see patients. i would think you would be turning over every stone to find a physician who is already in the system. it may not seem like a fair question. but the ability to call fundamental cultural change a second order question and we'll get to it when we get this done, you can be multitask. get that done. that is, of course, a priority. but the not addressing this we're going to come back here again. and that is more of a statement. and believe me, it pains me that we're at this point. it

dr. carolyn clancy, the assistant deputy undersecretary for health for quality, safety and value. we appreciate you both for being here tonight and dr. lynch, we appreciate you coming for your return engagement for an evening function. you're recognized for your opening statement. >> good evening, chairman miller, ranking member michelle and members of the committee. thank you for the opportunity to discuss the provision of timely, accessible and quality care for veterans. i'm accompanied today by dr. carolyn clancy, assistant deputy undersecretary for health, quality safety and value. at the outset, let me address the significant issue that's been the focus of the committee, the va, and the american public. that is, the issue of wait times. no veteran should ever have to wait an unreasonable amount of time to receive the care that they have earned through their service and their sacrifice. america's veterans should know they will receive the highest quality health care from va. while we realized the timeliness of the services is in question, va acknowledges and is committed to cor