Enhancing VHA's mission to improve veteran health: synopsis of VHA's Malcolm Baldrige award application.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) provides health care value to an aging veteran population in the midst of rising health care costs and the necessity to demonstrate improvements in the quality of care. The Malcolm Baldrige framework offers a comprehensive assessment of the organization's management system, performance improvements, and the promise to enhance health outcomes, including quality and patient satisfaction. This article will describe the development, current status, and future plans within VHA for the Malcolm Baldrige Award for Healthcare.