Stories | VA Palo Alto Health Care

The National Institute on Drug Abuse found that more than 1 in 10 Veterans who seek care at VA meet the criteria to be diagnosed with a substance abuse disorder.

My name is Alexander Bhargava, and I am a 15-year-old student. I had the great chance to volunteer at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Palo Alto over the course of this summer, and I wanted to share my wonderful experience with others in hopes to interest other students to volunteer in a hospital setting.

Alexander Bhargava spent the summer volunteering at VA Palo Alto and shares his story

Over the years, Fisher House Foundation has continuously supported military and Veteran families whose loved ones are in the hospital, free of charge. Several hospitals within the Department of Veterans Affairs are fortunate enough to have a Fisher House on their campuses.

Karen Maxey sitting on a bench in front of the VA Palo Alto Fisher House

Air Force Veteran Roman Johnnie Bridges celebrated his 105th birthday on September 14, 2022, in Modesto, CA, surrounded by family and friends.

Air Force Veteran Roman Johnnie Bridges at his home in Modesto, CA, celebrating his 105th birthday.

Navy Veteran Virginia Shefchick is the 20,000th Veteran in the Bay Area to join VA’s Million Veteran Program (MVP), which now has more than 900,000 Veteran participants nationwide.

From the legacy of former director and Distinguished Executive Presidential Rank Awardee, Lisa Freeman, to the steadfast leadership of current director Lisa Howard, VA Palo Alto Health Care System celebrates a rich history of extraordinary women serving more than 5,000 enrolled women Veterans.

For Dr. Ana Alfaro, her recent selection as a fellow for the Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program is right on track for the full circle journey that is her life.

When Donna Lynch first started her capstone project for a master’s degree in early 2020, she wanted to give back to VA, especially as the pandemic quickly crippled the U.S. health care system.

Nurse Donna Lynch with her creation, a Home Respiratory Monitoring (HRM) kit

From running the VA National Center for Collaborative Healthcare Innovation to serving as the Chief Medical Informatics Officer at VA Palo Alto Health Care System, it is no doubt that Dr. Thomas Osborne is at the forefront of what is being called the Fourth Industrial Revolution in health care.

Dr. Thomas Osborne standing next to a computer

Many Veterans struggle with anger. Some people describe “seeing red,” and others might notice feeling really revved up.

Doctor talking to patient with smile on their faces