What this means
m21-5:3.B.1 explains methods to determine and improve quality. In plain terms, the official guidance says office of Administrative Review Quality Assurance (OAR QA) provides national quality reviews as effective and positive action to improve quality levels for legacy appeals and higher-level reviews (HLRs) of compensation and pension claims. It also addresses OAR QA is the Veterans Benefits Administration’s (VBA) national method for measuring national quality reviews on HLRs completed at decision review operations centers (DROCs) and special mission sites, and on legacy appeals at the Washington, District of Columbia, DROC (DROC D.C.).
How this may help with a claim
Use m21-5:3.B.1 to audit how VA handled methods to determine and improve quality. Start with the decision date, the issue being reviewed, and the evidence VA was allowed to consider, then compare the record with this rule: Office of Administrative Review Quality Assurance (OAR QA) provides national quality reviews as effective and positive action to improve quality levels for legacy appeals and higher-level reviews (HLRs) of compensation and pension claims. OAR QA is the Veterans Benefits Administration’s (VBA) national method for measuring national quality reviews on HLRs completed at decision review operations centers (DROCs) and special mission sites, and on legacy appeals at the Washington, District of Columbia, DROC (DROC D.C.). Cite the exact document and page when raising a factual or procedural error, and use the review rights in the actual notice for any deadline.
What to review in your file
- Check the file against this official condition: methods to determine and improve quality
- Confirm that the record or notice addresses this source point: 3.B.1.a. Methods to Determine and Improve Quality
- Document how this stated step or exception applies: Office of Administrative Review Quality Assurance (OAR QA) provides national quality reviews as effective and positive action to improve quality levels for legacy appeals and higher-level reviews (HLRs) of compensation and pension claims.
Important limits
m21-5:3.B.1 explains VA guidance for methods to determine and improve quality; it does not guarantee an award or replace the statutes, regulations, binding decisions, and review instructions that control an individual claim. Conditions and exceptions still matter, including this source point: Office of Administrative Review Quality Assurance (OAR QA) provides national quality reviews as effective and positive action to improve quality levels for legacy appeals and higher-level reviews (HLRs) of compensation and pension claims. The quality review system assists managers in monitoring the level of service to claimants.
Search terms when useful
Phrases that may help when searching your claim file or this library.
- Methods to Determine and Improve Quality
- m21-5:3.B.1
- Methods Determine Improve
- Quality
- Purpose
- This topic describes purpose
- methods determine improve quality
- Office Administrative Review Quality
Original VA guidance
The official VA text of this section
1. Purpose
Introduction
This topic describes the purpose of national quality reviews, including
- methods to determine and improve quality
- Office of Administrative Review Quality Assurance (OAR QA), and
- quality review and the decision review operations centers (DROCs).
Change Date
August 17, 2021
3.B.1.a. Methods to Determine and Improve Quality
Office of Administrative Review Quality Assurance (OAR QA) provides national quality reviews as effective and positive action to improve quality levels for legacy appeals and higher-level reviews (HLRs) of compensation and pension claims. The following topics vary, and describe methods used to determine quality levels and improve quality on an organized technical basis. The methods may consist of
- regular supervision and training
- mandatory or optional reviews and spot checks
- controls of various kinds including cost controls or formal control procedures such as the OAR QA program, and
- special focused quality improvement reviews.
3.B.1.b. OAR QA
OAR QA is the Veterans Benefits Administration’s (VBA) national method for measuring national quality reviews on HLRs completed at decision review operations centers (DROCs) and special mission sites, and on legacy appeals at the Washington, District of Columbia, DROC (DROC D.C.). VBA includes these results in the regional office (RO) Director’s Performance Dashboard.
3.B.1.c. Quality Review and the DROC
The quality review system assists managers in monitoring the level of service to claimants. This system requires that OAR QA performs quality observations and reviews on a continuing basis in all areas of DROC operations.
Note: The quality review system does not require that evaluations encompass every work team within the DROC.