President to nominate hospital leader as VA under secretary for health

President Obama today announced his intent to nominate David Shulkin, M.D., to serve as under secretary for health at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Carolyn Clancy, M.D., has served as interim under secretary since last June, when acting under secretary Robert Jesse, M.D., completed a four-year term as principal deputy under secretary. “We strongly support the nomination of Dr. David Shulkin as the Under Secretary of Health for Veterans Affairs,” said AHA President and CEO Rich Umbdenstock. “Dr. Shulkin’s rich health care background includes service as both a physician and a health system leader. Most recently, he served as president of Morristown Memorial Hospital and vice president of Atlantic Health in New Jersey. In addition, his experience as an internist gives him hands-on experience and understanding of patient concerns. Dr. Shulkin is passionate about patient safety and quality and has dedicated his career to providing the right care at the right time to patients. His deep knowledge and experience in running complex organizations coupled with his clinical background will serve America’s veterans well. We applaud his nomination and urge his swift confirmation to strengthen the care provided to our nation’s veterans.”