Press Releases
2020
VA Palo Alto Health Care System Converts Face-to-Face Veterans Town Halls to Virtual Meeting - To maintain the safety and well-being of our Veterans and staff, VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) announces the following cancellations of remaining face-to-face Veterans Town Halls. (03/10/2020)
VA Palo Alto Health Care System Announces Veterans Town Halls for FY20, Quarter 2 - VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) will host a series of Veterans Town Halls during Fiscal Year 2020, Quarter 2, with the first meeting taking place on Tuesday, March 3, 2020, at the Veterans Memorial Building in Livermore, Calif., from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. (PST). (03/01/2020)
VA Palo Alto Health Care System Hosts Open House for State-of-the-Art Wellness Center - VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) announces the Open House and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for new facilities at its state-of-the-art Wellness Center (Center) on Thursday, February 27, 2020, at 1:30 p.m. (PST) at 3801 Miranda Avenue, Palo Alto, California, 94304, Building 530, Lobby. Following the ceremony, facility tours are available until 3:00 p.m. The media and public are invited to attend. (02/21/2020)
2019
VA improves health care facility performance transparency - The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) announced Dec. 11, key changes to increase transparency and ensure Veterans have the best information regarding the performance of VA health care facilities. (12/11/2019)
VA reports significant increase in Veteran use of telehealth services - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) found more than 900,000 Veterans used VA telehealth services in fiscal year 2019 (FY) as revealed in a mid-October report. (11/22/2019)
VA Palo Alto Health Care System Hosts Open House for State-of-the-Art Simulation Center - VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) announces the Open House and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for its state-of-the-art Simulation Center (Center) on Friday, November 22, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. (PST) at 3801 Miranda Avenue, Palo Alto, California, 94304, Building 105, Atrium. Following the ceremony, facility tours are available until 4:00 p.m. The media and public are invited to attend. (11/21/2019)
VA Palo Alto Health Care System Announces Veterans Town Halls for FY20, Quarter 1 - VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) will host a series of Veterans Town Halls during Fiscal Year 2020, Quarter 1, with the first meeting taking place on Tuesday, December 3, 2019, at the Veterans Memorial Building in Livermore, Calif., from 10:30 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. (PST). (11/15/2019)
VA and U.S. Army Corps to Break Ground on New VA Stockton Clinic - VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Sacramento District, hosted a ground breaking ceremony today for the new VA Stockton Clinic at 6505 S. Manthey Road, French Camp, CA 95123. (11/08/2019)
VA pilots first collaborative health care innovation center in Palo Alto - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently established the National Center for Collaborative Healthcare Innovation (NCCHI) within the VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) in California as part of the department’s strategy to advance Veteran health care services with cutting edge technology. (09/09/2019)
VA Palo Alto Hosts 2019 Mental Health Summit - VA Palo Alto Health Care System hosts the 2019 Mental Health Summit on Friday, September 13, 2019, from 8:30 a.m.– 4:30 p.m.(PST). The event appropriately takes place during September — Suicide Prevention Month. (09/09/2019)
U.S Army Corps Awards Construction Contract for New VA Stockton Clinic - VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Sacramento District awarded a $143,594,000 construction contract on August 29, 2019, to S.J. Amoroso Construction Co. Inc. to build a new patient care facility in Stockton, Calif. (08/30/2019)
VA Palo Alto Hosts Fiscal Year 2019, Quarter 4 Veterans Town Halls - Veterans and their families are invited to attend these public forums where VAPAHCS leaders provide updated information about the medical center’s programs and services, and address Veterans’ questions and concerns. (08/26/2019)
VA Health Care Facilities To Go Smoke-Free - As part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) commitment to provide excellent health care for Veterans, the department will implement a new policy restricting smoking by patients, visitors, volunteers, contractors and vendors at its health care facilities by October. (06/10/2019)
VA Palo Alto Health Care System Prepares to Launch New VA Health Care Options under MISSION Act - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will launch its new and improved community care program June 6, 2019, implementing portions of the VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act of 2018 (the MISSION Act), which both ends the Veterans Choice Program and establishes a new Veterans Community Care Program. (05/30/2019)
VA Palo Alto Health Care System Announces Q3 Veterans Town Halls - VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) is hosting a series of Veterans Town Halls for Fiscal Year 2019, Quarter 3. Two special town halls focused solely on the upcoming VA MISSION Act implementation will kick off the series, one on Facebook Live, May 28, 1:00 p.m. PST, (www.facebook.com/vapahcs), and one at the VA Palo Alto Division's Ed Stallings Auditorium, June 3, 2:30 p.m. (05/23/2019)
VA Palo Alto Health Care System Hosts Memory Care Resource Fair - In service to our Veteran families and members of the local community coping with dementia, memory loss, or other cognitive impairment, the VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) Dementia Committee will be hosting its annual Memory Care Resource Fair, Thursday, May 30th, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., at VA Palo Alto Division, 3801 Miranda Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94304 in the Ed Stallings Auditorium (Building 101, Room B1-100). (05/20/2019)
VA Palo Alto Hosts 9th Annual VA2K Walk to Support Homeless Veterans - The 9th annual VA2K Walk & Roll takes place on May 15, 2019, 11:00 a.m. (PST), at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System’s (VAPAHCS) Menlo Park Division located at 795 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA, 94025. Employees, Veterans, their families, community-wide residents and organizations will participate in the short two-kilometer (2K) trek around the VA Menlo Park campus in support of homeless Veterans and their families. (05/10/2019)
VA Palo Alto Launches "Clean Hands Save Lives" Campaign in Recognition of World Hand Hygiene Day - VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) launches its “Clean Hands Save Lives” hand hygiene campaign in recognition of World Hand Hygiene Day - Sunday, May 5, 2019. The campaign raises awareness of when and how to wash your hands to greatly reduce the possibility of Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) in medical care facilities and across our communities. (05/03/2019)
VA Palo Alto To Hold Grand Opening for New Sports Complex - VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) is holding a ribbon cutting and open house for its new Sports Complex and Field House at the Menlo Park Division on Wednesday, April 17, 2019. (04/16/2019)
VA Palo Alto Nursing Homes Rate Five Stars Against National Averages - VA’s recent Community Living Center (CLC) Compare Report shows VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) rates higher than, if not comparable to, national averages in quality measures. Overall ratings for CLCs at its Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Livermore Divisions were rated five-stars. (04/05/2019)
VA Palo Alto Health Care System Hosts Job Fair for Central Valley VA Clinics - The VA Palo Alto Health Care System will host a job fair on April 13, 2019, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at its Modesto VA Clinic, located at 1225 Oakdale Road, Modesto, California, 95355. The medical center is seeking to hire nurses and clerical support staff at its VA clinics in Livermore, Stockton, Modesto, Fremont, and Sonora. Those who attend are asked to bring their resume and dress for success. Interviews will take place on-site. (03/27/2019)
VA Palo Alto Researcher Receives Prestigious Kappa Delta Award for Osteoarthritis Prevention Studies - VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) researcher Constance R. Chu, MD, has received the Kappa Delta Elizabeth Winston Lanier Award during the 2019 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Kappa Delta awards are the highest honor in Orthepedic Surgery and presented by the Academy to persons who have performed research in orthopedic surgery that is of high significance and impact. (03/18/2019)
VA Palo Alto Health Care System Receives 5-Star Nursing Home Ratings in Livermore and Palo Alto - VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) announces its newly released fiscal year 19, quarter-1 overall 5 out of 5 star ratings at Livermore and Palo Alto Community Living Centers (CLC), and 4 stars for Menlo Park CLC as a part of VA's Strategic Analytics for Improvement and Learning (SAIL) performance scores. (03/12/2019)
VA Palo Alto Health Care System to Dedicate Second Fisher House for Veterans and their Families - VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) will hold a dedication ceremony for its second Fisher House, a no-cost home away from home for families of Veterans and active duty military personnel who are being treated at VA, on Saturday, February 16, at 11:00 a.m. (PST). (02/16/2019)
2017
VA Sierra Pacific Network Announces New Health Care System Director - Tony Fitzgerald Brings Leadership, Proven Experience to Palo Alto Palo Alto, CA — The Department of Veterans Affairs is pleased to announce the appointment of Thomas (Tony) Fitzgerald, III as the new Director of the VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) in Palo Alto, California. (06/30/2017)
2016
State of VA Palo Alto - VA Palo Alto Health Care System welcomes major change this year as we send off our long-time leader Lisa Freeman, who retired this June, after more than 30 years of service. It is only befitting that one of her first hires, Mr. Thomas Fitzgerald III, takes the position of Interim Director. (07/20/2016)
VA Palo Alto to Break Ground on Basic Science Research and Veterinary Medical Unit Building - The Department of Veterans Affairs has selected S. J. Amoroso Construction to build a new Basic Science Research and Veterinary Medical Unit (VMU) building, to be located on the campus of the VA Palo Alto Health Care System in Palo Alto, California. (06/06/2016)
2015
VA Funds New Studies Using Million Veteran Program Data - WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is announcing four new studies that will use genetic and other data from VA’s Million Veteran Program (MVP) to answer key questions on heart disease, kidney disease, and substance use—high-priority conditions affecting Veterans. MVP, which has enrolled more than 390,000 Veterans so far, has already become the nation’s largest database linking genetic, clinical, lifestyle and military exposure information. Part of a beta test for data access, the newly funded studies are among the first to use MVP data to delve into pressing questions on Veterans’ health. MVP-based studies on PTSD, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are already underway. (07/13/2015)
Ground Breaking for Willow Housing at VA Menlo Park (Feb. 9) - The VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) invites you to the groundbreaking ceremony for the new $18 million apartment community for homeless Veterans, located at the Menlo Park division. (02/06/2015)
Central Valley Construction Funding for Clinic Included in President’s VA Budget - VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) is pleased to announce the inclusion of funding for the future Stockton Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) as part of President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2016 budget request for the Department of Veterans Affairs. (02/05/2015)
2013
Google and Wine Country Marines Donate $250K in goods to VA Palo Alto Veterans - More than $250,000 worth of various items were donated from Google and Wine Country Marines to Veterans at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System in Menlo Park, Calif., today. (09/27/2013)
Contract awarded to build VA/DOD clinic at former Fort Ord - The contract to build the integrated Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense clinic in Marina, Calif., has been awarded to The Hamstra Group. The new clinic, situated on 14 acres of the former Fort Ord, is the second fully integrated VA/DoD facility in the nation. (09/20/2013)
VA Palo Alto to collaborate with community for Mental Health Summit (8/29) - VA Palo Alto Health Care System is having a Mental Health Summit on Thursday, August 29, to collaborate with community partners from around the Bay Area in a special dialogue about the mental health needs of local Veterans. (08/28/2013)
VA Palo Alto to cut ribbon on $10M Mental Health Learning Center (8/21) - The VA Palo Alto Health Care System will cut a ribbon Aug. 21 to commemorate the new 14,827 square-foot Mental Health Learning Center located at the VA Palo Alto Division. (08/16/2013)
VA Palo Alto Recognized by HRC for Commitment to LGBT Patient Equality - The VA Palo Alto Health Care System was recognized today by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation for their commitment to equality for their lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) patients, according to a report released today by the HRC Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights organization. (07/11/2013)
UK Teen Rides Bike 24K Miles to Raise Money for Families of Wounded Military - Eighteen-year-old Oliver Plunket of the United Kingdom is on a 24,000 mile motorcycle ride from Argentina to Alaska to raise at least $150,000 for wounded military and Veterans. He will visit with the families of wounded service members staying at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System’s Fisher House Monday, June 10, from 10 to 11 a.m. (06/07/2013)
VA Cuts Ribbon On New "Welcome Center" in Menlo Park - The VA Palo Alto Health Care System will cut a ribbon Thursday (April 25) to commemorate the new 10,000 square-foot “Welcome Center” on their VA Menlo Park campus. (05/02/2013)
