You can find the information here in a power point from the San Diego VA.
http://www.sandiego.va.gov/docs/publicaffairs/40Year.ppt
On slide 11 they allude to it by saying:
“In 1972, there were 811 authorized hospital beds. Now there are 256, with the decrease in beds attributed toward a shift from mostly inpatient care in 1972 to mostly outpatient care in 2012.”
You can also find this in the history of the VA. This is a nationwide program as I experienced it in Durham, Dayton, Cincinnati and Indianapolis.
Thanks! I was wondering if the HMO change to shorter hospital stays and out patient clinics came before or AFTER the VA agenda. They all work together anyway, right?