Quality of Mitral Valve Surgery at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs

Summary: Reports questioning the quality and access to care at the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have been constantly featured in the national press.1 In this issue of the Journal, Bakaeen and colleagues2 provide a comprehensive report on the status of mitral valve surgery at the VA during a 14-year period. This report, coauthored by some of the most experienced and skillful mitral valve surgeons in the country, supports the notion that veterans receive quality mitral valve surgery at the VA facilities.