VA Lebanon Healthcare System Recognized for Being Among Top Performers in Nurse Communication

According to the American Hospital Association (AHA) there are approximately 6,093 hospitals in the country.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) shares 10 Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) star ratings based on publicly reported HCAHPS measures. For nursing communication, data from HCAHPS survey questions are used. These questions summarize how well patients feel that their nurses explained things clearly, listened carefully to them, and treated them with courtesy and respect.

The Director of the VA Lebanon Healthcare System, Jeffrey A. Beiler II, stated, “It’s exciting to have our nursing staff recognized in this fashion. They are on the frontline day and night. Their selflessness, professionalism and devotion to our patients earn Veterans’ trust. VA nurses are truly special caregivers.”

VA Lebanon Healthcare System was one of three Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to be recognized in Pennsylvania with a five-star rating for nurse communication. The other two were the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center in Altoona and the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center.

Overall VA improvements during the second Trump Administration

• The backlog of Veterans waiting for VA benefits is down more than 45% since Jan. 20, 2025.
• VA has opened 17 new health care clinics, expanding access for Veterans around the country.
• VA is spending an additional $800 million on infrastructure improvements to ensure department facilities provide safe and effective patient care.
• Since Jan. 20, VA has offered nearly 1 million health care appointments outside of normal operating hours. These early-morning, evening, and weekend appointments are giving Veterans more timely and convenient options for care.
• VA is processing record numbers of disability claims, reaching an all-time fiscal-year high of 2.52 million ratings claims for FY25 as of Aug. 8.
• VA has made it easier and faster for VA-enrolled Veterans to access care from non-VA providers at the department’s expense.
• VA has implemented major reforms to make it easier for survivors to get benefits.
• VA is accelerating the deployment of its integrated electronic health record system.
• VA partnered with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to identify and recover
  $106 million in duplicate billing.
• VA has brought tens of thousands of VA employees back to the office, where we can work
  better as a team to serve Veterans.
• In fiscal year 2025 through June, VA has housed 37,534 homeless Veterans.

Douglas A. Etter, Chief Communications Officer

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