Charleston VA Dr. Hugh Myrick Wins Award

  On Jan. 30, Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center’s Associate Chief of Staff for Mental Health, Dr. Hugh Myrick, was awarded this year’s Mark Wolcott Award for Excellence in Clinical Care Delivery by the Department of Veterans Affairs. This award is the highest honor for health care providers in the Veterans Health Administration.

            Dr. Myrick has been on staff at Charleston VAMC for 21 years, serving as the Chief of Mental Health for the last 13 years. In addition to his role in Mental Health, Dr. Myrick served as the Acting Chief of Staff at Charleston VA for more than two years and the VISN 7 Chief of Mental Health for three years with oversight over all mental health operations at the eight medical centers in our region.

            “We are honored to have Dr. Myrick as part of our Charleston VAMC team and we’re grateful for his dedication to our Veterans who continue to benefit from his innovative ideas that enhance the clinical care we provide here locally and throughout the nation,” said Charleston VAMC Director & CEO Scott Isaacks.

            Under Dr. Myrick’s leadership, Charleston VA has increased the number of mental health staff from 61 to more than 335, created a Telemental Health program that leads the nation in number of care appointments provided, and secured funding for a Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team, a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Residency Program and a Community Resource and Referral Center.  Dr. Myrick also spearheaded the growth in Mental Health research funding from $1 million in 2006 to $7 million in 2017.   

            Dr. Myrick’s contributions at both the local and national level advance the specialized mental health care that Veterans can receive at VA.