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Patricia Vandenberg, MHA, BS
Assistant Deputy USH for Policy and Planning, Veterans Health Administration

Patricia Vandenberg was appointed Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health (ADUSH) for Policy and Planning, effective October 17, 2004.

 

 As the ADUSH for Policy and Planning, she is the principal advisor to the Under Secretary for Health on the development, implementation and impact of VHA policy, strategic planning, and knowledge management.  Ms. Vandenberg is also responsible for projections relating to the demand for VA health care services, including inpatient and outpatient services, mental health services and long-term care.

 

Ms. Vandenberg served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Holy Cross Health System, South Bend, Indiana from 1989 to 2000.  In that role, she led one of the largest and oldest national Catholic health systems consisting of hospitals, long-term care and residential facilities, ambulatory, diagnostic and surgery centers, and auxiliary enterprises, including a college of nursing, an insurance and benefits administration company and a physician practice management company.  The system employed over 30,000 staff.  After serving over 30 years in health care delivery, she moved into higher education.  As an Associate Professor of Management and Director of the Health Care MBA program at Baldwin Wallace College in Cleveland Ohio, she undertook a comprehensive review and curriculum revision to reposition the program. 

 

Within VA, Ms. Vandenberg was one of 15 individuals appointed by Secretary Anthony Principi to the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) Commission in February 2003.  During that appointment, Ms. Vandenberg visited numerous VA medical centers throughout the country.  She participated in and chaired hearings and stakeholder meetings to discuss issues surrounding the future of VA’s health care delivery system.

 

Ms. Vandenberg earned a Master of Health Administration from Duke University, pursued graduate theological studies at the University of Notre Dame and has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Hunter College of the City University of New York.  She has served on numerous boards and has published and spoken on health care issues around the world.