Acting secretary visits Texas facilities looking for best practices that could be implemented nationwide

Acting VA Secretary Peter O’Rourke traveled to Texas this week making stops in Dallas and Lancaster to tour VA’s North Texas Health Care System, meet with leadership, lawmakers and representatives from various Veterans organizations.

O’Rourke’s visit is part of his ongoing efforts to engage employees, learn about specific facility operations and look for best practices that could improve the delivery of health care and services for Veterans nationwide.

“The efforts you’re making to improve mental health care and women’s services are not only reassuring, but also critical to delivering quality care to North Texas Veterans,” O’Rourke told the facility’s leadership underscoring his confidence for the hospital’s director, Dr. Stephen Holt and the accomplishments achieved under his guidance. The hospital has shown significant improvements over the last two years and outperformed other facilities in patient safety, rising from a SAIL rated I star facility to 3 stars.

[carousel ids=”49860,49821,49820,49819,49818,49817,49816,49815,49814,49813,49812,49811,49810,49809,49808,49807,49859″]

O’Rourke  also visited the North Texas Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy located in Lancaster, where he was led on a tour of the medication receiving warehouse and given a detailed explanation of prescription processing and pill dispensing operations. The pharmacy processes more than 6,000 prescriptions every day to provide efficient, convenient and cost effective services to Veterans.

During the visit, O’Rourke also discussed important innovative care practices with Texas Congressman Pete Sessions. The acting secretary wrapped up his Texas visit with a final stop at the George W. Bush Institute to discuss ongoing efforts to support the nation’s Veterans in their transition from military service.