Orlando VA Health Care System selects new Assistant Medical Center Director
PRESS RELEASE
June 1, 2022
Orlando , FL — The Orlando VA Health Care System (OVAHCS) has selected Dr. Derek D. Szafranski, MBA, as the Assistant Medical Center Director effective May 22, 2022
Prior to joining OVAHCS, Dr. Szafranski served as the Acting Assistant Director at the Ralph H. Johnson (RHJ) VAHCS. While serving as the acting Assistant Director, he had direct oversight of the chaplain office, community care, community engagement and Veteran experience, environmental management services, the Fisher House, nutrition and food service, information system security office, law enforcement, logistics, the office of information and technology, privacy office, prosthetics, and Veterans canteen services.
Dr. Szafranski first joined RHJ VAHCS as a staff psychologist in the cognitive behavioral therapy clinic in 2014. In 2017, he transitioned to the section chief of general mental health. After serving two years as a section chief, Dr. Szafranski became the division chief of outpatient mental health services.
Dr. Szafranski graduated magna cum laude from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science in psychology, while on a full-ride football scholarship. He obtained a Master of Science in psychology from University of the Pacific in 2010 and a PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Houston in 2014. Dr. Szafranski completed his clinical internship at the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in 2014 at the Boston Consortium and remains heavily involved in PTSD clinical trial research.
To further his management training, Dr. Szafranski earned a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in health care in 2020 and graduated from the Health Care Leadership Development Program in 2021. He is also a member of the American College of Health Care Executives.
To learn more about the facilities and services offered by the OVAHCS, please visit: VA Orlando Health Care | Veterans Affairs, subscribe to receive email updates by clicking here, like us on Facebook at: (2) Orlando VA Healthcare System | Facebook, follow us on Instagram at: Orlando VA Healthcare System (@ovahcs) • Instagram photos and videos or on Twitter at: (20) OVAHCS (@OVAHCS) / Twitter.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Office of Public Affairs
Orlando VA Health Care System
352.283.4735 I vhaorlpublicaffairs@va.gov
Melanie Davis, Biostatistician Research Health Scientist, Ralph H. Johnson VA Healthcare System VA Charleston Healthcare