Veterans care has rightfully got much attention over the past several years, especially after the news broke last year of the squalid conditions and patient neglect at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Not all the news about treatment of veterans is negative, however. In fact, congratulations are in order for the upstate VA medical Centers, including ours here in Batavia.
From the press release:
VA Healthcare Network Upstate New York, which comprises the Albany, Bath, Buffalo, Canandaigua and Syracuse VA Medical Centers and twenty-nine community based outpatient clinics, is the recipient of the 2008 Kenneth Kizer Quality Award. The Kizer award is the most prestigious award bestowed by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) for outstanding patient care results based on performance measures. The award is open to each of the 21 VA Networks and is based upon the Malcolm Baldrige criteria, the world's foremost standards for running an effective organization.
[...]
One of the most compelling aspects of VA Healthcare Network Upstate New York’s Kizer application was the ability of the Network to significantly surpass private sector performance for a wide array of patient satisfaction, cancer screening, heart disease and diabetes management and behavioral health measures. This award is a tribute to more than 6,000 employees who provide quality of care for veteran patients.
VA Healthcare Network Upstate New York was the recipient of this award in 1999, 2001 and 2003.
