Donna Beiter, Director of the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS), will retire this month effective Dec. 31, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Beiter has overseen the delivery of health care to more than 88,000 veterans and an operating budget of $915 million as director for the past six years.
“With the recent tragedy of losing my beloved husband of 43 years, now seems like the right time to move to the next phase in my life,” Beiter said. “Therefore it is with a sad heart I announce my retirement from Federal Service.”
Beiter joined the VA more than 30 years ago as a nurse leader.
She served in nursing leadership at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston, South Carolina and at VAGLAHS as the Associate Chief Nurse, Associate Director of Clinical Affairs and, prior to becoming Director, Associate Director, Patient Care Service and Nurse Executive. She has received national recognition for leading the VA cultural change to patient centered care and introduced numerous innovations to VAGLAHS and the rest of VA.
Jeffery Gering, Acting VA Desert Pacific Healthcare Network Director, said its organization was saddened to announce Beiter’s retirement.
“I have never met a health care executive inside or outside the VA who was more committed to patient centered care,” Gering said. “We wish her the best in this next chapter of her life.”
Steve Baumann, Deputy Network Director, VA Sierra Pacific Network, will continue to serve as acting director until a permanent director is selected.
VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System is one of the largest, most complex health care systems within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
It consists of two major ambulatory care centers, a tertiary care facility and 9 community based outpatient clinics. There are 1.4 million veterans in the VAGLAHS service area, and more than 88,000 are served by VAGLAHS each year. The catchment area covers five counties: Los Angeles, Ventura, Kern, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo.
