Oral history interview with David J. Shulkin, 2021
Abstract
David Shulkin discusses his service in the Obama administration as undersecretary of veterans affairs for health from 2015 to 2017. Shulkin focuses on his efforts to resolve the wait-times crisis in the veterans affairs (V.A.) healthcare system, and provides details about his process of understanding the causes of the crisis; engaging with relevant stakeholders; and making decisions related to the granting of practice authority to advanced practice nurses, the publication of wait-times data, the expanded use of telehealth, the processes by which V.A doctors could order appointment consultations, and other efforts to ensure that appointments were scheduled according to the urgency of patients' needs. Shulkin also outlines other major issues on which he worked during his tenure, including efforts to reduce veteran suicide, modernize V.A. record-keeping infrastructure, and improve morale among V.A. staff. Also discussed are Shulkin's experiences treating patients in the V.A. system, the differences between private-sector hospital networks and the V.A. healthcare network, the unique healthcare needs in the veteran community, and Shulkin's engagement with veterans organizations during major policy processes
Presidents--United States; Veterans--Services for--United States; Veterans--Suicidal behavior--United States; Veterans--Mental health--United States; Veterans--Medical care--United States; Medical records--United States; Veterans' hospitals--United States; Shulkin, David J; Obama, Barack; United States. Department of Veterans Affairs
Format
oral histories
Genre
Interviews
Date
2021
Physical Description
45 pages
Note (Biographical)
David Shulkin served in the Obama administration as undersecretary of veterans affairs for health from 2015 to 2017. Prior to joining the Obama administration, Shulkin had several decades of experience as an internist and health care executive, having served as chief executive at leading hospitals and health systems, including Mount Sinai Beth Israel and Morristown Medical Center. Shulkin also served on the boards of managed care companies, technology companies, and health care organizations. In 2017, Shulkin became the secretary of veterans affairs under President Trump, where he served until he was dismissed by President Trump in 2018
Note
Interviewed by Terrell D. Frazier on July 2, 2021. This interview is part of the Columbia University: Obama Presidency Oral History
Note (Provenance)
David J. Shulkin, Gift, transferred from Columbia Center for Oral History Research 2023