VA recognition at the AMSUS annual meeting

VA has awarded Maria D. Llorente, M.D., deputy assistant under secretary for Health for Patient Care Services, the VHA John D. Chase Award for Executive Excellence in Health Care at the Annual Meeting of AMSUS, The Society of Federal Health Professionals, on February 13, 2023.

The VHA John D. Chase Award for Executive Excellence in Health Care recognizes sustained executive leadership by an individual from any health care discipline who exhibits significant accomplishments and commendable professional performance that supports VA’s mission. The award is named after Dr. John D. Chase, who was the chief medical director of the then-named Veterans Administration from 1974 to 1978.

Dr. Llorente’s leadership and mission support to VA led to multiple VA-wide systemic changes, including development of a partnership with the White House to implement the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act (PACT Act) of 2022. Dr. Llorente was instrumental in the creation of 12 new presumptions for Veterans, including nine rare respiratory cancers, sinusitis, rhinitis, and asthma. As a result, vulnerable and high-risk Veterans now have expedited access to VA care and benefits.

Dr. Llorente embodies the highest standards of a professional health care administrator in pursuit of lifelong professional development and continuously exemplifies the spirit of this prestigious award.

During the AMSUS Annual Meeting, VA health care leaders and professionals were presented with 5 of the 12 AMSUS awards for which VA employees are eligible. The VA award winners included:

Beth Ann Ripley, MD – Innovator Award (Premier)

This award recognizes an individual who has made outstanding contributions to military or federal medicine by developing and/or implementing novel approaches to overcome complex and persistent challenge(s) in health care delivery and/or readiness.

Gretchen Gibson Castleman, DDS, MPH – Dentist Award

This award recognizes the accomplishments of a federal dentist who has made outstanding contributions as a clinician, researcher, educator or health care executive.

Jane Kim, MD, MPH – Communications Award

This award recognizes an individual’s leadership ability in a communications environment, media relations, social media, strategic communications planning and execution, and any aspect in a strategic communications profile that highlights measured success. The Communicator of the Year award is presented to an individual who clearly demonstrated the ability to Tell the Story effectively in military health.

Jennifer Martin, PharmD, BCPP – Andrew Craige Allied Health Professional Award

This award recognizes the leadership role of federal allied health care professionals. The award is intended to recognize sustained excellence in the provision of allied health care, and to grant recognition and promote awareness of federal allied health care practitioners who distinguish themselves in the provision of care.

Lelia Jackson, MSSA – Management and Administration Award

This award is presented to an individual who has made conspicuously outstanding contributions in management and administration, to include areas of health care administration, information management, resource management and logistics, and demonstrated superior leadership while serving in the federal health care system.

The AMSUS Sustaining Members group also presented 2 of their 4 awards to VA professionals.

Frederick Hilliard and Michael Easley – AMSUS Sustaining Member Tip of The Spear Award     

This award is presented to federal health care leaders who go above and beyond the call of duty in serving their country and supporting ethical public/private partnership, as they have built high performing teams which advance federal medicine and public health.

Congratulations to all the award winners!