About the VA Portland Health Care System
VA Portland Veteran Guide - Dec 2017
VA Portland Health Care System (VAPORHCS) serves more than 95,000 unique Veterans and 950,000 outpatient Veteran visits each year in Oregon and Southwest Washington. VAPORHCS consists of the main tertiary care medical center overlooking the city of Portland, the Vancouver Campus in Vancouver, Wash., and ten outpatient clinics across Central and Northwest Oregon. Our health care system provides a full continuum of inpatient, outpatient, long-term, and emergent care and is proud to host 12 national-level Centers of Excellence leading research efforts from mental illness to Parkinson’s, Epilepsy to auditory research, and others. VAPORHCS is connected to Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) both physically and through academic partnerships with shared research endeavors, the training of healthcare professionals, and the use of shared staff including scientists, clinician-educators, and clinician-researchers.
To see information regarding VAPORHCS's Accreditations and Achievements click here.
In addition to our main facility in Portland and our Vancouver Divison, we offer services in ten CBOC's and outpatient clinics. These clinics are located in —
- Bend CBOC
- Community Resource and Referral Center clinic (CRRC) in downtown Portland
- Fairview Clinic
- Hillsboro CBOC
- North Coast CBOC (Camp Rilea)
- Newport CBOC
- Lincoln City CBOC
- Salem CBOC
- The Dalles CBOC
- West Linn CBOC
VA Portland History
1920’s United States Public Health Service Hospital for Veterans - Portland
In November 1921, a hospital for Veterans was opened in Portland by the United States Public Health Service. On May 1, 1922, it was transferred from the Public Health Service to the United States Veterans Bureau, the preceding organizational name of the Veterans Administration that was later established in 1930. In 1988, President Reagan signed legislation to elevate VA to Cabinet status and, on March 15, 1989, the Veterans Administration became the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Department included three main elements: the Veterans Health Services and Research Administration, which was renamed the Veterans Health Administration; the Veterans Benefits Administration; and the National Cemetery System (Administration). This organization remains the same today. VA Portland is part of the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 20 Northwest Network.
In January 1926, the Sam Jackson family of Portland and Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) deeded 25 acres on Marquam Hill in Portland to the United States Veterans Bureau for a Veteran hospital; the value of the property at that time was about $2,750 per acre. Initial site preparation was started on Feb. 3, 1927, with construction for the original hospital commencing one year later. The first 13 buildings were activated in December 1928 and formally dedicated later in 1929. In 1932, Portland VA Medical Center (PVAMC) Building #16 was built - this is the only remaining original building that is now occupied by Human Resources.
The VA has been serving Veterans in Vancouver since May 1946 when President Truman authorized the transfer of the U.S. Army Barnes General Hospital to the Veterans Administration. The Vancouver Division has grown steadily with extensive services and is the largest VAPORHCS facility second only to the main Portland medical center.
The main hospital in Portland ("PVAMC") was completed and dedicated in 1987 and opened to patients in February 1988.
In Oct., 2014, to better reflect the system-wide spectrum of care, "PVAMC" changed its name from "Portland VA Medical Center" to VA Portland Health Care System (VAPORHCS).
Not long before 9-11, VA Portland basically had two sites of care – Portland and Vancouver. Today we host 12 care facilities from Astoria to Newport to Bend and other sites in between directly serving more than 26 counties across the Pacific Northwest.
This is the original cornerstone for Building #1 of the new Veterans Hospital constructed in 1928 on Marquam Hill in Portland. This is the only remaining part of the original Building #1 and is now located outside the PVAMC auditorium in Portland. Building #1 stood from 1928 until 1990.
Mission
Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.
Vision
VHA will continue to be the benchmark of excellence and value in health care and benefits by providing exemplary services that are both patient centered and evidence based.
This care will be delivered by engaged, collaborative teams in an integrated environment that supports learning, discovery and continuous improvement.
It will emphasize prevention and population health and contribute to the nation's well-being through education, research and service in national emergencies.
Values- ICARE
Integrity - Act with high moral principle. Adhere to the highest professional standards. Maintain the trust and confidence of all with whom I engage.
Commitment - Work diligently to serve Veterans and other beneficiaries. Be driven by an earnest belief in VA’s mission. Fulfill my individual responsibilities and organizational responsibilities.
Advocacy - Be truly Veteran-centric by identifying, fully considering, and appropriately advancing the interests of Veterans and other beneficiaries.
Respect - Treat all those I serve and with whom I work with dignity and respect. Show respect to earn it.
Excellence - Strive for the highest quality and continuous improvement. Be thoughtful and decisive in leadership, accountable for my actions, willing to admit mistakes, and rigorous in correcting them.
