Posted on: Monday, October 14, 2002

Local office named top in nation

Advertiser Staff

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi presented the department's Robert W. Carey Quality Award for the best healthcare and benefits office to VA Director H. David Burge and staff representing the Spark M. Matsunaga VA Medical & Regional Office Center in Hawai'i.

The annual Carey Awards recognize VA organizations that excel and serve as examples for other organizations striving to improve services to veterans.

The Matsunaga Center was one of the top four organizations selected this year by a national panel.

In a keynote address Sept. 12, Principi noted the Matsunaga Center achieved a perfect 100 score in its Joint Commission accreditation survey this year, placing it in the top 2 percent of 7,000 public and private healthcare organizations in the nation.

The center, which serves 130,000 veterans in Hawai'i, American Samoa, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, also ranked first in the nation in keeping its veterans fully informed of their benefits in a national survey completed this year, according to officials.