Bob McDonald
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The reorganization at the Veterans Affairs Department is a rebranding effort in many ways. VA Secretary Bob McDonald will hire a chief customer service officer to try to reverse an image of poor quality care for its customers. Kim Hayes, CEO and co-founder of Ambit Group, is also a finalist for Executive of Year at the 2014 GovCon awards. She tells In Depth with Francis Rose about Ambit Group's data-centric approach to agency reorganization.
November 13, 2014 -
Veterans Affairs Secretary Bob McDonald is making news with his plans to reorganize the Department of Veterans Affairs. Jeff Neal, senior vice president for ICF International, says the Secretary's moves are a good start because VA, like most large agencies, has its fair share of redundant organizations.
November 13, 2014 -
The biggest reorganization effort in VA history is underway, says Secretary Bob McDonald. His reform plan includes hiring a Chief Customer Service Officer and imposing disciplinary action on more than 1,000 employees. And while some praise McDonald's quick and decisive actions, others are urging a different approach that gives the accused an opportunity to respond.
November 12, 2014 -
This Veterans Day will be one of transition at the Veterans Affairs Department. New secretary Bob McDonald has taken steps to minimize delays at veterans health centers across the country and show he's holding employees accountable. Now he wants to embark on a major reorganization of the department. One of the people watching closely is Verna Jones, the new executive director of the American Legion. Jones tells Federal News Radio's Emily Kopp that she sees progress at the VA but there's still so much more to improve.
November 10, 2014 -
Veterans Affairs Secretary Bob McDonald's goal is straightforward: rebuild the trust in the VA. In his first 100 days as secretary, McDonald met with dozens of employees, lawmakers and other key stakeholders to both listen and understand how best to do that. Federal News Radio's Executive Editor Jason Miller joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive with details on the steps McDonald has taken and plans to take.
November 07, 2014 -
VA Secretary Bob McDonald said the new "Road to Veterans Day Action Review" released Thursday will help change the culture of the agency. The three-pronged strategy is part of McDonald's efforts during his first 100 days in office.
November 07, 2014 -
Susan Taylor, the Veterans Health Administration deputy chief procurement officer, resigned and retired Oct. 14. She sent an email to staff announcing her decision as VA had started the process to fire her.
October 14, 2014 -
The chairman of the Veterans Affairs subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations wrote a letter to Veterans Affairs Department Secretary Bob McDonald wanting more details on the actions it will take in light of the inspector general report involving the deputy chief procurement officer at the Veterans Health Administration and FedBid.
September 30, 2014 -
The Department of Veterans Affairs is set to introduce new, standardized disability claims forms to help streamline the claims process. The goal is to make it easier for veterans and their survivors to clearly state their claims and also provide necessary documentation.
September 24, 2014 -
During an ongoing Veterans Affairs inspector general investigation, more than a dozen VA officials lied to investigators. Given what officials have learned so far, the practices that raised alarms in Phoenix are pervasive throughout the Veterans Health Administration.
September 10, 2014 -
Robert McDonald, the new secretary of the Veterans Affairs Department, says the biggest thing he's learned over his first seven weeks on the job is that the organization he leads is too hierarchical and too insular. He's promising to build a "flatter" VA that encourages dissent.
September 09, 2014 -
In this week's edition of Inside the DoD Reporter's Notebook, Jared Serbu examines news and buzz in the Defense community that you might have missed including: DoD-VA medical record sharing still too slow; VA kicks off new drive to hire docs; DISA plans follow-on to Encore II contract
August 29, 2014 -
VA, which has been eyeing a replacement for its scheduling system long before the current scandal, plans to issue a final request for proposals by the end of next month and make an award by the end of the year.
August 25, 2014 -
The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee will consider the nomination of Robert McDonald as the next VA Secretary tomorrow. If the Senate confirms him, he'll inherit a Veterans Health Administration that hasn't had a major review of its healthcare system since the mid-1980s, according to the Military Officers Association of America. Vice Admiral Norb Ryan is president of MOAA. On In Depth with Francis Rose, he said Congress and the White House should build a commission focused on reforming the VHA.
July 21, 2014