My Life in the VA: Lessons in Leadership

About the Book

In the career memoir, My Life in the VA: Lessons in Leadership, a thirty-seven year employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs shares an insider’s view and valuable insight into the inner-workings of a bureaucracy. Fred Malphurs worked in both the central office as well as the VA healthcare system and spent the last twenty plus years of his career in senior executive service. He provides a compelling look inside the leadership of the VA as well as an interesting commentary on healthcare. Malphurs begins with detailing his experiences learning the ropes as he grappled through his first few years on the job and moves through his career in chronological order. He openly shares the lessons he learned along the way, his challenges both personal and professional, and the high and low points of his career all while shedding light on the political processes, the uncoordinated public policies, the failure to report real information, and the politics of doing or not doing the right thing. His recommendations for healthcare reform and improved government are included. Malphurs’ fascinating autobiography offers a unique perspective on healthcare, political science, and the distinguished career of a Federal executive.

About the Author

Fred Malphurs spent thirty-seven years working for the Department of Veterans Affairs. He is the retired CEO of the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Healthcare System in Gainesville, Florida, and a retired Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Married, he has six grown children, two cats, and a Chihuahua. Having transferred thirteen times, been on three long term details and served in the VA Central Office in Washington on three different occasions, Fred has been exposed to the inner workings of health care delivery at the highest levels as well as health care's front lines. He has interacted with political appointees, members of Congress and leaders in national health care and veterans orgnizations. His career spans from the impact of returning veterans from the Viet Nam War to those returning from the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. In the course of serving in the VA, Fred receivd numerous award during his career, including the two highest: Presidential Rank, at both the meritoious and distinguished levels. Health care systems under his direction have twice received the VA's highest award for quality, the prestigious Carey award. As a network director, the network under Fred's leadership twice received the VA's highest award for quality, the Kizer award. Organizations that he led have also been recognized many times for having the best practices in a wide variety of administrative and clinical areas. He has received Leadership VA's award for leadership as well as being recognized as for the advancement of nursing. He has published in health care periodicals, given media interviews and appeared on television in the course of his career.