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dialogue
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MAY / JUN 2015
I
Healthcare Journal of new orleans
Fernando O. Rivera was appointed Director/
CEO of Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health
Care System (SLVHCS) in New Orleans in
January, 2015. Rivera also is responsible for the
opening of a $1 billion replacement VA Medical
Center in New Orleans that will serve as a
model for healthcare of the future and set the
standard for patient-centered care, flexibility,
and sustainability.
Rivera has served veterans for 30
yearswith theDepartment ofVeteransAffairs.
Immediately prior to his appointment as
SLVHCS Director/CEO, he was the Director/
CEO of the VACapitol Health Care Network
(VISN 5) in the national capital region. Prior
to that position, he served as Director/CEO
at theWashingtonDCVAMedical Center, the
Director/CEO at the Martinsburg VAMedi-
cal Center, and the acting Director/CEO at
the Overton Brooks VA Medical Center in
Shreveport. From 1984 to 2004, he served
in various positions at theVAMedical Center
inNewOrleans, Louisiana, includingAssoci-
ate Director/COO.
In 2014 the Veterans Health Administra-
tion (VHA) recognized Rivera as Mentor of
theYear and 2012VHAPreceptor of theYear.
He is a recipient of a 2009Meritorious Presi-
dential RankAward. In 2008 and 2007 hewas
awarded theVHACommunicator of theYear
Award and in 2008 he earned the Matthew
McNulty Award from the National Capital
Health Care Council. He is a fellow inAmeri-
can College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE)
and anACHE Regent-at-Large for District 6.
ACHE honored Mr. Rivera in 2014 with the
An ancient Egyptian papyrus
penned by Imhotep applies
diagnostic methods to disease.
c. 2615 BC
Ancient Mesopotamian healers are tasked with discovering what god or demon had
produced an illness and how to appease that entity so that the symptoms might ease. They
are also believed to have used observation, palpation, and auscultation in their diagnoses.
c. 1800 BC
e
VA Marches On
Q & A with
Fernando O. Rivera, MBA, FACHE
Director/CEO
Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System