[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 2 (Tuesday, January 5, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E6-E7]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          THE OCCASION OF MR. JONATHAN H. GARDNER'S RETIREMENT

                                  _____
                                 

                         HON. RAUL M. GRIJALVA

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 5, 2016

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I wish to recognize and congratulate Mr. 
Jonathan H. Gardner on the occasion of his retirement from his position 
as Director of the Southern Arizona Veterans Affairs Health Care System 
(SAVAHCS).
  Mr. Gardner has dedicated over 36 years of serving our nation's 
heroes with distinction. Mr. Gardner's career with the Department of 
Veterans Affairs began as a Without Compensation (WOC) position, 
followed by progressive leadership assignments within the Department of 
Veterans Affairs (DVA) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) 
(i.e., VA Central Office (VACO), Network and facility). Mr. Gardner has 
a record of sustained extraordinary accomplishment that is recognized 
throughout DVA and acknowledged on a national level. As Director of 
SAVAHCS, his duties include the overall organization/operation

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of a highly affiliated, 283-bed, complexity level 1a, teaching medical 
facility with a budget of $460 million and 2,600 employees. The SAVAHCS 
includes seven Community Clinics and a $4.9 million research budget. 
SAVAHCS hosts various regional centers of excellence including: 
Southwest Blind Rehabilitation Center; Network 18 Polytrauma Network 
Site; Rehabilitation and Transitional Care Center; and a Psychosocial 
Rehabilitation and Recovery Center. SAVAHCS is also the principle 
teaching affiliate with the University of Arizona Colleges of Medicine, 
Nursing, and Pharmacy, and 36 other institutions of higher learning.
  During his tenure, Mr. Gardner created an atmosphere of continuous 
improvement to ensure quality of care for Veteran patients. In 
recognition, the SAVAHCS received the 2012 Arizona Quality Alliance 
Pioneer Award for Quality, the 2012 Robert W. Carey Performance 
Excellence Trophy Award and the 2011 Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
Robert W. Carey Award for Performance Excellence in Healthcare 
Services, all based on the Malcolm Baldrige Award criteria. SAVAHCS was 
also awarded 2016 U.S. News and World Report listing of Best Hospitals 
for Achievement of the American Heart Association ``Get with the 
Guidelines Gold Resuscitation Award,'' the 2015 U.S. News and World 
Report listing of Best Hospitals for Achievement of the American Heart 
Association ``Get with the Guidelines Silver Resuscitation Award,'' and 
the 2015/2014 Silver Foundation Award Excellence in Quality and 
Performance Award from the Office of Disability and Medical Assessment. 
His ORYX score from The Joint Commission was #1 in the VA nation-wide.
  Mr. Gardner's final day was on January 4, 2016.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure and honor to recognize the commitment 
and dedication to our Veterans and the Southern Arizona community that 
Mr. Gardner has demonstrated for well over 36 years.

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