VA Medical Center Receives Top Honors from Journal Gazette Readers

FORT WAYNE (Oct. 10, 2025) –  The votes for the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette’s Reader’s Choice awards were recently tallied awarding two first-place honors to the VA Northern Indiana Health Care System.

Fort Wayne Medical Center received first place in the category of best audiology practice. Dr. Sara Gutta received first place in the category for best cardiologist in the region. Nominations and votes for these honors were made anomalously by members in the community.

Winners from 200 categories were honored Oct. 8 during a special Skyline celebration. “This event was a wonderful opportunity to recognize the outstanding businesses and individuals chosen by our readers,” according to Savannah Medina with the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette.

The Reader’s Choice winners’ pull-out section is to be inserted into the Journal Gazette Oct. 11 making it widely available to readers.

“We are especially proud of our audiology department and Dr. Gutta, and thrilled that others see the exceptional health care we provide to our Veterans, as do all our services throughout the Northern Indiana region,” said Executive Director for VANIHCS Jon Beidelschies.

This is not the first time VANIHCS has received honors in the Journal Gazette’s Readers’ Choice awards.

“We are excited to hear that the Fort Wayne VA Medical Center Audiology Clinic has achieved the top honor in this year’s Readers’ Choice contest! After earning second place last year, our dedicated team's commitment to providing outstanding care and service has propelled us to the top. This award is especially meaningful because it comes directly from the veterans and community members we serve. Thank you for your support and trust—we remain dedicated to delivering the highest quality audiology services to our nation's heroes,” said Dr. Trisha Duffy, a supervisory audiologist in the Fort Wayne VA Medical Center Audiology Department.

Dan Gipple, a former Navy chief petty officer, explained his life has greatly benefited by the care VANIHCS provides. “I earned the right (for the benefit of VA health care) and the VA keeps me on the right meds, which helps me get the sleep I need. All the staff here are wonderful.”

An Army Veteran being treated by Gutta commented on how lucky he felt to have her as a provider.

“She is the most professional woman I have has ever seen,” said Bobby Turgeon, U.S. Army Veteran. “She saved my life when she caught an aneurism. Even my kids are happy knowing I am being treated by Dr. Gutta.”

Turgeon was diagnosed by Gutta with coronary artery bypass graft aneurysm, and he was emergently transferred for surgery saving his life. He went on to say that he is more than pleased with the care he receives throughout the health care system. “This VA is an exceptional VA, and the VA here is the only health care I use.”

Veterans who receive their care from VANIHCS often share similar words of praise. The Fort Wayne Medical Center has a current 95.5 percent trust

 rating from its Veteran community. It’s no surprise when the staff is as dedicated as Gutta.

“Thank you for the encouragement as a nominee for the Readers' Choice awards 2025,” said Gutta. “President Abraham Lincoln envisioned the care for our veterans, and I am happy to have the opportunity to provide medical care to our Nation's heroes.”

“We hope that our employees and the Veterans we serve, and the community at large, will take a few minutes to help recognize Dr. Gutta and the Fort Wayne VA Medical Center Audiology Department for all their hard work by voting for them in this year’s Readers’ Choice Contest,” said Beidelschies. “Again, I would like to say how proud I am of all our employees at VANIHCS and thank them for all they do for our Veteran community.”