VA Announces Whole Health Flagship Sites: Personalized Plan Puts Veterans in Control of their Health Care

WASHINGTON – Today the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs released the names of 18 facilities designated VA Whole Health Flagship Sites, which are spread around the country within the VA health-care system and are focused on empowering and equipping Veterans to take charge of their health and well-being. 

As VA shifts from a health-care system focused primarily on treating disease to one guided by a personalized health plan that considers the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and environmental needs of Veterans, the Whole Health System acknowledges that health care involves more than the physical human body. 

“VA’s Whole Health approach helps Veterans live their lives to the fullest,” said VA Acting Secretary Robert Wilkie. “By developing a personal health plan that integrates many areas of their lives, Veterans can truly take charge of their well being and improve their health all around.  I’m pleased to recognize these VA facilities that are helping our Veterans do just that.” 

The following facilities have been designated Whole Health Flagship Sites:

• VA Boston Health Care System
• VA New Jersey Health Care System (East Orange )
• Erie VA Medical Center (VAMC)  (Pennsylvania)
• Beckley VAMC (West Virginia)
• W. G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center (Salisbury, North Carolina)
• Atlanta VAMC  
• Tampa VAMC (Florida)
• Tennessee Valley Health Care System (Nashville and Murfreesboro)
• Aleda E. Lutz VAMC  (Saginaw, Michigan)
• Tomah VAMC   (Wisconsin)
• St. Louis VA Health Care System (Missouri)
• Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (Little Rock)
• South Texas Veterans Health Care System (San Antonio)
• Salt Lake City VAMC
• VA Portland Health Care System (Oregon)
• Palo Alto VAMC (Livermore, California)
• Tucson VAMC  (Arizona)
• VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System (Omaha, Nebraska). 

In addition to the naming of the flagship facilities, VA also announced new sites that will serve as Whole Health Design Sites beginning in 2018. VA Whole Health Design Sites listed here are focused on implementing specific elements of the Whole Health System and/or expanding their existing efforts to implement a more comprehensive Whole Health capability. 

In 2018, the following facilities have been designated Whole Health Design Sites:

• Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital (Bedford, Massachusetts)
• Birmingham Alabama VAMC
• Central California VA Health Care System (Fresno)
• Cincinnati VAMC
• John D. Dingell VAMC (Detroit, Michigan)
• Fargo VA Health Care System (North, Dakota)
• Kansas City VAMC (Missouri)
• William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital (Madison, Wisconsin)
• Manchester VAMC (New Hampshire)
• Mountain Home VAMC (Tennessee)
• Royal C. Johnson Veterans Memorial Medical Center (Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
• Syracuse VAMC (New York)
• West Palm Beach VA Medical Center (Florida). 

In 2017, the following facilities were designated Whole Health Design Sites. Facilities with an asterisk, later named as Whole Health System Flagship Site: 

• Baltimore VAMC
• Central Arkansas Health Care System * (Little Rock)
• Durham VAMC (North Carolina)
• VA Greater Los Angeles Health Care System
• VA Hudson Valley Health Care System (Montrose, New York)
• Iowa City VA Health Care System
• Minneapolis VA Health Care System
• VA Portland Health Care System *
• San Francisco VA Health Care System
• VA St. Louis Health Care System *
• Tomah VAMC. * 

In 2016, the following facilities were designated Whole Health Design Sites:

• VA Boston Healthcare System *
• Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System (Biloxi, Mississippi)
• VA North Texas Health Care System/Plano Community Based Outpatient Clinic (Plano, Texas)
• Washington DC VAMC Jesse Brown VAMC (Chicago, Illinois)
• Harry S. Truman Memorial (Columbia, Missouri)
• W.G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center (Salisbury, North Carolina). * 

Additionally, every VAMC now offers an Introduction to Whole Health learning opportunity for transitioning service members, family members and currently enrolled Veterans. For information about the Whole Health System, flagship facilities or design sites, visit https://www.va.gov/patientcenteredcare.