[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 122 (Wednesday, October 4, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1663]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      COMMENDING THE AMARILLO VETERANS AFFAIRS HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

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                           HON. LARRY COMBEST

                                of texas

                          HON. MAC THORNBERRY

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 3, 2000

  Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I, along with my distinguished colleague, 
Mr. Thornberry, wish to congratulate the Amarillo Veterans Affairs (VA) 
Health Care System for receiving the Robert W. Carey Quality Award from 
the Department of Veterans Affairs. This annual award is one of the 
highest honors that a VA facility can receive. The Carey Award 
recognizes model organizations for their quality transformation 
efforts, organizational effectiveness, and improvements in performance 
service and satisfying customers. The Amarillo VA Health Care System, 
which provides medical assistance to veterans throughout the Texas and 
Oklahoma Panhandles and portions of Eastern New Mexico and Southern 
Kansas, received the 2000 Carey Award for the health care category.
  The Amarillo VA Health Care System serves a population of 75,000 
veterans and houses an acute care facility, nursing home, two 
community-based outpatient clinics, and four contractual primary care 
clinics. Over 25,000 patients are treated annually, including 3,300 
inpatient and over 200,000 outpatient visits. They have implemented a 
wide variety of innovative measures, from moving the Substance Abuse 
Program to an outpatient setting to restructuring Primary Care and to 
establishing a safety program to reduce employee accidents. Through the 
use of employee teams, the hospital now administers a Bar Code 
Medication Administration, which uses computer technology to track and 
monitor patient medications. In addition, they have established a pilot 
program of the Computerized Patient Record System, enabling the 
hospital to coordinate patient information so that all aspects of the 
health care system may be utilized.
  The mission of the Veterans Health Administration and the Amarillo VA 
Health Care System is to improve the health of the served population by 
providing primary, specialty, and extended care, and related social 
support services through an integrated health care delivery program. As 
a learning organization, the VA Health Care System continually raises 
the standard for VA facilities nationwide. By focusing on trust, 
teamwork, and continuous improvement, the Amarillo VA has been able to 
greatly reduce the costs of primary care, increase the quality of 
health care available and improve employee relations. These combined 
efforts have built a facility that provides an invaluable service to 
thousands of veterans.
  It is with pride that we recognize the doctors, nurses, 
administrators, volunteers, and other staff who have contributed to 
this outstanding accomplishment. Thanks to their tremendous efforts, 
West Texas is home to an outstanding veteran health care provider. We 
wholeheartedly extend our congratulations to the Amarillo VA Health 
Care System for receiving the 2000 Robert W. Carey Quality Award.

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