A new annual report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of the Inspector General found that the Madison VA medical center is facing one of its worst staffing shortages in recent years, according to The Capital Times.
The office’s report shows how many occupations at VA health care centers across the U.S. are deemed difficult to fill but aren’t necessarily vacant, based on surveys of the centers. All VA health care facilities nationwide reported staffing shortages this year.
Among the clinical jobs reported as the hardest to fill were psychology, psychiatry, practical nurse, primary care and nursing assistant positions.
The Madison VA reported severe staffing shortages in 2025 across 36 occupations — 25 clinical and 11 nonclinical — which is up from 31 last year and 21 two years ago.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2019, it reported a shortage in 24 positions.
By comparison, Milwaukee’s VA reported no staffing shortages in 2019 and now faces 21.
