Health care staffing shortages at the Department of Veterans Affairs are on the rise, according to a new watchdog report.

In the report , out Tuesday, the VA's Office of Inspector General, or OIG, found Veterans Health Administration facilities reported 4,434 staffing shortages this fiscal year, which is a 50% increase from fiscal year 2024.

Almost all — 94% — of facilities reported severe shortages for medical officers, while 79% of facilities reported severe shortages for nurses, according to the report.

The report's data comes from questionnaires sent to 139 VHA facilities, comparing 2025 responses to 2018-2024 responses. The 2025 questionnaires were distributed via email on March 26 with a required completion date of April 9. Data on staffing shortages at VA facilities has been col

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