(Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Government-run medical centers serving the nation's veterans have reported an increase in severe staffing shortages , with many hospitals having trouble filling jobs for doctors, nurses, and psychologists, according to an independent watchdog for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Tuesday's report from the VA's Office of Inspector General is based on surveys from late March and early April that were taken at 139 Veterans Health Administration facilities. Severe staffing shortages are not necessarily an indication of vacancies but refer to particular occupations that are difficult to fill.

The surveys were taken just weeks after it was reported in early March that the VA had planned to cut 80,000 jobs -- out of 484,000 -- through the so-ca

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