Interim Director of the VA Central Iowa Health Care System named

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is pleased to announce that effective April 3, Mr. Kurt Thielen as the Interim Director of the VA Central Iowa Health Care System while recruitment for a permanent director is completed.

“Mr. Thielen has extensive experience and is an outstanding choice to fill this role while we conduct our search for the new director for the VA Central Iowa Health Care System.” said Mr. Robert McDivitt, VA Midwest Health Care Network executive director.  “I am certain that the experience he has received as the associate director at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System has prepared him to provide the leadership and guide the employees and volunteers, our health care partners, the community, and importantly the Veterans we are honored to serve.”

Mr. Thielen has been with the Department of Veterans Affairs for more than 15 years. He currently serves as the associate director for the Minneapolis VA Health Care System in Minneapolis. He is a retired US Air Force officer who served as a weapon system officer in F-4E/Gs and F-15Es in the Philippines, Alaska, Virginia and England. He deployed to numerous locations worldwide to include Korea, Okinawa, Japan, Guam, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, and Italy, accruing 2,500 hours of flight time in fighter aircraft. He retired from the US Air Force in 2007.

Mr. Thielen received his bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering in 1986 from the University of Minnesota and his master’s degree in business administration from Golden Gate University. He is a graduate of Leadership VA and the Senior Executive Service Career Development Program.

The VA Central Iowa Health Care System (VACIHCS) is a level 2 Department of Veterans Affairs health care organization with inpatient services located in Des Moines and Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) located in Knoxville, Marshalltown, Mason City, Fort Dodge, and Carroll, Iowa. The organization serves Veterans from 42 counties in central Iowa and northern Missouri. The health care system operates acute, long-term care, and domiciliary beds. The Des Moines campus provides primary care; secondary medical, surgical, psychiatric and substance abuse inpatient and outpatient care; home care services; rehabilitation, mental health, and palliative nursing home care.

The VA Midwest Health Care Network, also known as Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 23, is one of 18 Health Care Systems in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration.  The network serves more than 440,000 enrolled Veterans residing in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and portions of Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin and Wyoming.  Health care services are delivered through an integrated system of nine hospitals, 69 community-based outpatient clinics, eight community living centers and four domiciliary residential rehabilitation treatment programs. The network employs more than 15,000 full-time employees and has an annual operating budget in excess of $3.3 billion. 

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Brad Doboszenski, Public Affairs Officer

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