36C25618Q0478-002.pdf

Department of Veterans Affafrs

Memorandum Date;

DEC i aoa From: Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Operations and Management (ION)Subj; VHA National Standardization of Endoscopes 3rd Year Lease FundingTo:

Network Directors and VHA Key Staff Officials

1. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Procurement and LogisticsOffice (PLO) established an Integrated Product Team (IPT) in June 2009 to developrequirements for the national standardization of endoscopes throughout VHA. Nationalstandardization will create best value, enhance the safety and quality of patient care,and result in reduced variability in the number of different processes required forendoscope setup, use and reprocessing, thus reducing the potential for error.

2. Facilities are expected to standardize endoscope inventories to one vendorthrough the use of national leasing contracts. In FY 2011 and FY 2012, to defray theinitial transition and ongoing sustainment costs, the ISO Consultation Division, or lCD,(formerly the Office of Clinical Consultation and Compliance), working with the PLO,provided funding for endoscope lease costs. As outlined in the IPT report, facilities areexpected to plan future lease costs into their equipment budget plans.

3. Recognizing that ongoing transition costs have placed a hardship on facilities,lCD is pleased to announce a program to fund FY 2013 lease costs incurred byendoscope standardization. Funding distributions in FY 2013 will be based on theactual FY 2013 lease costs to each facility, as reported according to the belowinstructions.

4. Each Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) will appoint a single point ofcontact for this program and notify Mr. Vince Reed, lCD Program Analyst(vincent.reedva.qov), or Ms. Christina Hammond, lCD Health Systems Specialist(christina.hammondcva.ctov). The V1SN POC will collect and report third year leasecosts to lCD, with supporting documentation to include a purchase order or invoice, to arestricted access SharePoint site. Mr. Reed will coordinate access to the site for eachVfSN. In addition, a SharePoint homepage for this program will be available containinga FAQ page and submission documents.

5. The deadline for funding requests to the SharePoint site is 30 days from releaseof this memorandum. Negative responses are required. The target for transfer of fundsto the VISNs is within 30 days of receipt and approval of request. Projected fundstransfer timelines will allow for network procurement activities to occur well ahead ofproposed procurement cutoff dates.

6.

For further information on endoscope standardization requirements you may contact Ms. Doris Richardson, Nurse Executive, Standardization (1ONA2) by e-mai at doris.richardson(va.qov. For funding questions contact Mr. Reed by email or phone -

(615) 584-7820.

Wifliam Schoenhard, FACHE

Attachments cc:

OSP (1ONC6)

CLOs (1ON1-23) CPO SAOs NCMs (1ONA2)

OAL (049A, 049A1, 049A5)

Healthcare Technology I Biomedical Engineering (1ONA9) CMOs (iON 1-23) CFOs (iON 1-23)