Director's Message April 29, 2022

VA’s Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC) joined the Age-Friendly Health Systems movement so that every Veteran is provided safe, high-quality care aligned with what matters. In March 2020, GEC set the aim for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to become the largest integrated health care system in the U.S. to be recognized by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) as Age-Friendly. Age-Friendly care is guided by an essential set of evidence-based practices known as the 4Ms – What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility. When practiced reliably as a set, the 4Ms represent a broad culture shift to focus and align care based on each Veteran’s unique care preferences and health outcome goals. 

Patient Experience Week

Our mission, as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is to care for those “who shall have borne the battle” and for their families and survivors. This mission could not be accomplished without the dedication of VA’s public servants.

This year, the theme for Patient Experience Week is “Make the Difference!” We chose this theme because every interaction with Veterans is an opportunity to Own the Moment. All VA employees are responsible for the delivery of exceptional customer experience. We’ve had many fun events to celebrate our staff, from silly hat day to trivia day. However, the real point of this week is to thank our employees for the hard work they do providing amazing patient care experiences. I’m very proud of our staff, and I appreciate all their hard work. 

Fourth COVID-19 Shot

VAPIHCS would like to remind Veterans that the fourth COVID-19 shot is now available at our clinics for anyone over 55 or immunocompromised. Coronavirus cases are rising again in the United States. Being fully vaccinated is the best way to protect against getting and spreading the virus. If you would like to get your COVID shot or boosters, please call to make an appointment: 1-800-214-1306. Remember to bring your COVID card with you.

Holocaust Remembrance Day

From sunset on April 27, 2022, to nightfall April 28, 2022, we marked Holocaust Remembrance Day, also called Yom HaShoah. Holocaust Remembrance Day marks the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, the largest uprising by Jews during World War II and the first significant urban revolt against German occupation in Europe. The uprising began after German troops and police entered the ghetto to deport its surviving inhabitants. Jewish insurgents inside the ghetto resisted these efforts. 

The day is meant to remind people of the Holocaust and its victims, but it also exists to draw attention to the persecution that Jewish people still face in the United States and in the world. VAPIHCS is committed to diversity and inclusion, and we are committed to the belief that every human being deserves dignity and respect. We will always care for Veterans from all walks of life, all races, and all religions and provide safe, compassionate, quality care to the men and women who have worn the cloth of our nation. 

Nursing Week

Next week from May 6, 2022, to May 12, 2022, the nation celebrates Nurses’ Week. Here at VAPIHCS we will have trainings, events, and activities for nurses throughout the entire month of May. These past two years have been especially challenging. We’ve been working diligently to protect our Veterans, peers, and families, and navigate through surges and staffing issues, all while maintaining the level of quality care our Veterans deserve. It hasn’t been easy for anyone. I want you to know we recognize the effort put in by our nurses, and we are humbled by their service. While the COVID-19 pandemic continues, VAPIHCS also continues moving forward, to improve, advance, and enhance our services. 

Last year, we embarked on a journey toward modernization, with the goal to maximize our Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT) model, and ensure our professionals are working at the top of their licensure, with the structure and support to succeed. Nurses are a key component of our success, and we appreciate all that they are doing to support our Veterans.

Nurses have been at the forefront during our COVID-19 response. They have participated in swab clinics, testing, COVID treatments, vaccination, outreach events, and more. Nurses continue to be flexible as we adapt to meet your needs. Throughout the pandemic, you still needed care. We responded, with the help of our dedicated nursing staff. Our nurses have worked tirelessly to provide care throughout this difficult time, and we are thankful for that.

Message from Chaplain Richie

“The Good Ol’ Days” 
Nostalgia is the “…sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or former time” (Dictionary.com) Maybe it’s the feeling of listening to a beloved old song, the taste of a favorite childhood dessert, or the dusting off of an old photo album – these all can have the power to revive strong feelings of warmth, and leave us wanting us to experience those past, blissful moments, just one more time.  We can sometimes detect nostalgia when we speak of the “good ol’ days”

But were the “good ol’ days” as good as how we remember them? Interestingly enough, I have to admit that at times I fall prey to reflecting on the past selectively, that is, latching onto the past bright, favorable memories, while forgetting the less-than-ideal moments that were happening at the same time. Do you find that happening to you as well? I find that often, the reality is that the past and the present both have something in common: they both have their mixture of opportunities and challenges. The past wasn’t all perfect, but neither is the present completely dim. Could longing for the “good ol days” be calling you away from appreciating the present? It’s been said that today is called the present, because it’s just that, a “present”, a gift. Let’s be encouraged to make the best of our “today”. 

Mahalo for your service, it is our honor to provide you with the care you deserve!

One Team, One Ohana!
Adam M. Robinson, Jr., MD, MBA, CPE 
Director, VA Pacific Islands Health Care System
VADM, MC, USN, (RET)
36th Surgeon General, USN

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