Making the VA health system better is a good thing, but that probably shouldn’t be the end goal.

“The real question is how do you provide the best care for veterans,” Quint Studer said Wednesday. “And then they should go to the facility that provides the best care.”

Studer was part of a panel of industry experts who spoke for more than two hours to the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee as it seeks solutions to “the summer of scandal” as U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller called it.

Miller, the Republican from Chumuckla, is chairman of the House committee.

Studer appeared on a panel that included hospital executives and industry experts who spoke about successful practices the private sector has used to improve care and efficiencies in health care. That is something Studer is uniquely suited to speak to. The company he founded consults with 900 health care systems in U.S. to do just that.

All of the panelists spoke to success that can be found through setting measurable goals that are communication clearly and transparently, encourage clinicians to become partners in the process and to collaborate where collaboration.

They also spoke to the importance of improving veterans access to care in non-VA hospitals.

“Autonomy does not create high performance,” Studer said. “Standardization and frequency creates high performance.”

All of the panelists agreed that asking for more funding alone without taking a serious look at streamlining current inefficiencies is not a good idea.

“If people they will get more resources they don’t look at improving processes,” Studer said. He suggested looking at measuring best practices and managing employee turnover first before you look at more resources.

Watch the full video here.

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