John Bartrum, the Department of Veterans Affairs’ undersecretary for health, shared plans to resign July 6. He was confirmed by the Senate Dec. 18.
The VA will make an announcement regarding interim leadership in the coming days, a VA spokesperson said in a July 1 statement shared with Becker’s.
“We thank John for his leadership of VHA and the many VA accomplishments he presided over during his 17 months of service at the department,” the spokesperson said. “We wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
Mr. Bartrum submitted his resignation to President Donald Trump and VA Secretary Douglas Collins June 30, according to an internal memo shared with Becker’s. In his message to staff, Mr. Bartrum said he is proud of what they have accomplished together, including successfully relaunching the electronic health record modernization program.
The VA rolled out Oracle Health to four additional facilities in Ohio and Kentucky in June after its deployment at four Michigan facilities in April. Additional rollouts are scheduled for August and October. The VA aims to complete the program by 2031.
Mr. Bartrum also oversaw a reorganization of the Veterans Health Administration’s management structure, which aimed to cut redundant layers of bureaucracy and empower local hospital directors, according to a December VA news release. A VA spokesperson said in March that the department eliminated vacant healthcare roles that it determined were unnecessary.
“It was an honor to deliver care to my veteran brothers and sisters while designing and leading the largest reorganization of the VHA in over 30 years,” Mr. Bartrum said in his memo. “The framework for this reorganization will better serve veterans for decades to come.”
Mr. Bartrum enlisted in the Air Force in 1984 and served more than four decades in active and reserve military positions, rising to the rank of major general. He later became senior advisor to the VA secretary before being confirmed as undersecretary.
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