The USH is a presidential appointee subject to Senate confirmation. Candidates for the Under Secretary position must be visionary leaders who have demonstrated an ability to conceptualize and implement the Secretary's vision, and are dynamic advocates who can move an ambitious agenda forward to meet the needs of our Nation's veterans.
Candidates for the Under Secretary position must be highly effective leaders who have demonstrated experience in overseeing or directing the operations of a large health care enterprise. Candidates must be committed to the high quality care of our Nation's Veterans, implement the Secretary's vision to transform VA, and serve as an accountable and innovative steward of the human capital and financial resources of the VHA. By law, the Under Secretary for Health shall be appointed solely on the basis of: Demonstrated ability in the medical or allied health profession, in health care administration and policy formulation, and in health care fiscal management; and Substantial experience in connection with the programs of the Veterans Health Administration or programs of similar content and scope.
The Under Secretary for Health (USH) is responsible for the leadership and direction of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the Nation's largest integrated health care system. The four statutory missions of VHA are: 1) to develop, maintain, and operate a national health care delivery system for eligible veterans; 2) to administer a program of education and training for health care personnel; 3) health care research; and 4) contingency support for the Department of Defense and Public Health Service during times of war or national emergency. The USH assures delivery of timely, appropriate, cost-effective services to more than 9 million veterans enrolled in VA health care. VHA has a special responsibility to care for veterans with service-connected disabilities and is responsible for specialized services, such as; care for spinal cord injury, mental illness, substance abuse and other conditions. The VA health care system provides care and social support services to over 8.5 million enrolled veterans through a system of 1,383 health care facilities, including 172 medical centers and approximately 1,000 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), 303 Vet (readjustment and counseling) Centers and 88 mobile Vet Centers, over 100 VA nursing homes (known as Community Living Centers) and multiple programs to support older veterans at home, over 100 VA Domiciliary Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs, 7 Centralized Mail Out Pharmacies, all of which are administered through 18 regional networks, a national headquarters and other support offices.