doi:10.7916/94p4-v453Oral history interview with David J. Shulkin, 2021Shulkin, David Joral historiesmixed materialPresidents--United StatesVeterans--Services for--United StatesVeterans--Suicidal behavior--United StatesVeterans--Mental health--United StatesVeterans--Medical care--United StatesMedical records--United StatesVeterans' hospitals--United StatesShulkin, David JObama, BarackUnited States. Department of Veterans AffairsDavid 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