Chapter 19: Leaders, Followers, and Failures at the VHA

In 2014, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), a division of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, was scrutinized for a variety of alleged performance problems, including excessive patient wait times, inadequate staffing levels, data manipulation, and even wrongful deaths. The federal response to the scandal included passage of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 and a change in leadership at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Other implications included changes in funding and performance metrics, removal or punishment of staff members, and a push for public updates. Behind the headlines, however, is a more nuanced story that requires attention to the relationship between leaders and followers.