Two years ago, I came to Atlanta because it was well-known that the Atlanta VA Health Care System was not meeting our high standard of care for veterans.
Neither our veteran patients nor our staff were satisfied with the care we delivered or how we treated veterans. The facility suffered from preventable and costly delays in medical procedures that too often left veterans in the lurch. It was difficult to retain qualified staff.
President Donald Trump has made it clear that the days of tolerating sub-par treatment for veterans are gone. It was time to walk the post, and my tour of the facility made it clear we needed a leadership change.
In 2019, Ann Brown was appointed as director of the facility, and the era of accountability began at the Atlanta VA.
I recently returned to the facility and was excited to see how quickly Ms. Brown and her new leadership team have turned the ship around. There is new energy in these hallways, and a renewed commitment to the task President Lincoln gave this nation in the solemn duty of caring for those who defend us.
Credit: contributed
Credit: contributed
COVID-19 proved that her team was ready. While the pandemic posed real problems for health care systems around the world, the Atlanta VA staff saw it as an opportunity to come together, put in the hard work and put past missteps in the rearview mirror.
The numbers show they succeeded. When Atlanta became an early hotspot for COVID-19, staff moved residents of the nursing home they run to other facilities to protect them from infection.
While the virus tragically infiltrated other nursing home systems across the country, Atlanta’s swift action saved lives. Months later, only three VA nursing home residents have tested positive for COVID-19, and all of them have recovered.
Atlanta VA staff members were encouraged to use the pandemic as an opportunity expand their skillsets, and many jumped at the chance. Medical teams learned new skills to help manage the inflow of COVID-19 patients and learned how telehealth can help keep them in contact with patients during a time of social distancing.
Before COVID, remote appointments through VA Video Connect was a convenience, and Atlanta held about 950 of these sessions each month. But by July, that number soared above 19,000, a strong sign that staff was quickly adapting the new reality.
After years of leadership struggles, Atlanta VA leaders are now routinely reaching out to staff members to stay connected. The entire facility is seeing how these connections are leading to more satisfied employees, which translates to improved care for veterans.
And all the while, the Atlanta VA’s top-ranked research program is deeply involved in the search for COVID-19 therapies. The program is currently enrolling patients in 12 clinical trials, and another 12 trials are being evaluated, including one vaccine trial.
Serving veterans is a noble mission, and while it is national in scope, the day-to-day work is done by people who work and live in the same communities where our veteran patients live.
What encouraged me most during my second visit to the Atlanta VA was hearing how these communities rallied around VA after VA renewed its commitment to help our Veterans. When COVID-19 struck, more than 50 local organizations worked to deliver meals to doctors, nurses and other staff members who were on the frontlines of the fight.
Veterans organizations donated hundreds of masks to the Atlanta VA for both staff and patients to use. And Delta Air Lines volunteered their employees to build face shields for VA’s use.
To Ann Brown, her team and her staff: thank you for stepping up to the multiple challenges you faced. Veterans in and around Atlanta are seeing the results, and know that a new day has dawned at the Atlanta VA.
Robert Wilkie is U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
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