For most of the key goals that VA did not achieve, it explained why the goals were not achieved. Processing Veterans’ Benefit Claims

VA reported making little progress toward achieving its key outcome of processing compensation and pension benefit claims timely and accurately in fiscal year 2000. Comparison of VA’s Fiscal Year 2000 Performance Report and Fiscal Year 2002 Performance Plan With the Prior Year Report and Plan for Selected Key Outcomes

For the selected key outcomes, this section describes improvements or remaining weaknesses in VA’s (1) fiscal year 2000 performance report in comparison with its fiscal year 1999 report, and (2) fiscal year 2002 performance plan in comparison with its fiscal year 2001 plan. Comparison of Performance Plans for Fiscal Years 2001 and 2002

VA made several improvements to its fiscal year 2002 performance plan. VA’s Efforts to Address Major Management Challenges Identified by GAO

VA addressed all six of the major management challenges identified by GAO, and generally described goals or actions that VA is taking or plans to take in response to them. VA has established strategies for achieving strategic goals and objectives for human capital management and information security. VA has established a performance goal and identified milestones for implementing certain strategies to address information security. For example, VA cited our statement that it has not identified performance goals and measures for human capital management linked to achieving programmatic results. Appendix II: Comments From the Department of Veterans Affairs
Why GAO Did This Study

This report reviews the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) fiscal year 2000 performance report and fiscal year 2002 performance plan required by the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 to assess VA's process in achieving selected key outcomes that are important to its mission.

What GAO Found

VA reported making mixed progress towards achieving its key outcomes. For example, VA reported that it made good progress in providing high-quality care to patients, but it did not achieve its goal of processing veterans' benefits claims in a timely manner. GAO found out that VA made several improvements to its fiscal year 2000 performance report and 2002 performance plan. These improvements resulted in clearer discussions of VA's management challenges and additional performance measures for assessing program achievement. Furthermore, VA addressed all six of the major management challenges previously identified by GAO, and generally described goals or actions that VA is taking or plans to take in response to them. VA has established strategies for achieving strategic goals and objectives for two of these challenges: human capital management and information security. VA has established a performance goal and identified milestones for implementing certain strategies to address information security. However, VA has not identified performance goals and measures for human capital management linked to achieving programmatic results.