Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks was honored for the second year in a row for providing high-quality health care.
The system, formerly known as the Fayetteville Veterans Affairs Medical Center, was one of 13 Veterans Affairs organizations receiving a Carey award this year during the 18th annual Robert W. Carey Awards for Performance Excellence held Oct. 30 at the Liaison Hotel in Washington.
The Robert W. Carey Award has been presented annually since 1992 and is named for the former director of the VA Regional Office and Insurance Center in Philadelphia. He died in 1990.
Awards are handed out in four areas: Circle of Excellence Winners, Trophy Winners, Performance Excellence Winners and Performance Achievement Winners.
Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks was a Performance Achievement Winner.
Doris Cassidy, public affairs officer for the center, said this is the same award the system received last year and it is the lowest of the four awards presented.
“We will keep working to get a higher award,” Cassidy said.
She said that last year was the first time the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks applied for the award, which Cassidy called a very laborious task.
“It’s a little unusual that you get an award on your first attempt,” she said.
Carey awards highlight organizational excellence and high quality health care provided to veterans. A selection committee assesses leadership, strategic planning, customer focus, knowledge management, workforce focus, process management and results of applicants. Submissions are reviewed by an external group of criteria experts.
“Receiving a 2009 Carey Achievement Award emphasizes the high quality services and care provided to our veterans, and reaffirms the compassion, caring and hard work of VHSO’s staff,” Kathleen R. Fogarty, medical system director, stated in a news release.
The system offers services in a 23-county area of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri.
The Fayetteville hospital is a 72-bed facility that provides acute medical, surgical, psychiatric care and primary and secondary levels of outpatient services.
Services are also provided in five community-based outpatient clinics in Fort Smith and Harrison; Branson and Mount Vernon, Mo.; and Jay, Okla. The VA is building an additional outpatient clinic in Ozark.
Cassidy said 49,700 outpatients are enrolled in all the facilities.
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November 29, 2009 at 4:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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