VA Palo Alto Health Care System

VAPAHCS Path to Excellence

	As a VAPAHCS employee, each of you have dedicated to CARE for our nation's deserving Veterans. The new VA Core Values -- Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect and Excellence -- can be summarized in the simple but appropriate acronym: "I CARE." Watch the I CARE Video

VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) employees and volunteers come to the VA every day for one purpose: to serve Veterans. While we enjoy a stellar reputation of providing outstanding care, our organization is on a continuous journey as we anticipate the evolving needs of Veterans.

This journey is our Path to Excellence. This umbrella of initiatives has the common goal of making VAPAHCS more efficient, more patient-centered, and more rewarding for our employees. Click the links below to learn more about each program!

• I CARE: The VA Core Values -- Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect and Excellence -- can be summarized in the simple but appropriate acronym: "I CARE."
• The Strategic Plan represents the strategic priorities for our health care system that will impact our various stakeholders including Veterans and employees.
• The Office of Process Improvement will focus on eliminating any step that does not add value to Veteran health care in order to create a more efficient and ideal patient experience.
• The goal of Veteran & Family Centered Care is to create partnerships among health care staff, Veterans, and families to enhance the quality and safety of the care we provide.
• Civility, Respect & Engagement in the Workplace (CREW) is a national initiative based on how we treat and consider each other – as co-workers and clients, supervisors and subordinates, the person across the counter or across the bed – to improve employee satisfaction and success in meeting performance measures while decreasing EEO complaints and sick leave usage.
• The Magnet Recognition Program was developed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to recognize health care organizations that provide nursing excellence, providing a vehicle for implementing successful nursing practices and strategies.
• IntegratedEthics increases employee morale, patient satisfaction, productivity and efficiency by ensuring ethical practices in Veteran health care based on rules and values.