[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1189]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING SAN FRANCISCO VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 22, 2024

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my 
colleagues Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Representative Kevin Mullin 
and Representative Jared Huffman to honor the San Francisco VA HeaIth 
Care System (SFVAHCS) in celebration of its ninety years of providing 
high quality medical care and services to our country's veterans.
  Conceived of by the newly consolidated Veterans Administration in 
1931, San Francisco VA Medical Center opened its doors on the aptly 
chosen date of November 11, 1934. Located at historic Fort Miley in San 
Francisco, the original medical center remains the flagship of the 
California Bay Area's veterans health care system. Over the last nine 
decades, the hospital and staff have served thousands of veterans. In 
2023, SFVAHCS provided care to 94,594 veterans with a combined 870,693 
outpatient visits and 3,203 inpatient admissions.
  Now as part of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), SFVAHCS 
continues to operate the medical center, manages a 120-bed community 
living center and oversees nine outpatient clinics across its service 
territory. Those clinics are located in downtown San Francisco, 
Clearlake, Eureka, Oakland, San Bruno, Santa Rosa, and Ukiah. The 
health care system is supported by an incredible staff of more than 
three thousand employees and three hundred volunteers.
  For over sixty years, SFVAHCS has partnered with the University of 
California, San Francisco's School of Medicine to train physicians. 
Many generations of medical professionals that now support our 
country's greater health care system learned from the highly skilled 
clinicians at SFVAHCS. Moreover, the health care system boasts the 
largest competitively funded research program in the VA which is 
driving cutting edge health care innovations and technologies. These 
programs are a benefit to all Americans.
  SFVAHCS' commitment to high quality health care does not go 
unnoticed. In 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 
received a 4-star rating for overall quality and a Silver Level 
Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation from the American College 
of Emergency Physicians. In 2024, two outstanding SFVAHCS employees 
were recognized: Dr. Cynthia Delgado as one of TIME100's most 
influential people in health and Dr. Bruce Ovbiagele with the W Lester 
Henry Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by the American 
College of Physicians.
  Mr. Speaker, it is evident that the San Francisco VA Health Care 
System is a critical resource for the veterans of California's Bay 
Area. Therefore, it is fitting and proper that we honor them here 
today.

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