VA Maryland Health Care System Welcomes Jonathan R. Eckman as its New Director

BALTIMORE, Md., Feb. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Jonathan Eckman, 42, has been named the new director of the VA Maryland Health Care System. As director, Eckman will oversee the delivery of health care to more than 53,000 veterans throughout the state and an operating budget of $743 million annually. He began his leadership role amid a pandemic that brings its own stressors to the health care industry worldwide. Part of Eckman's role will be shepherding the health care system through the COVID-19 vaccine roll out with the aim of vaccinating the more than 58,000 veterans enrolled with the VA Maryland Health Care System.

"We are excited to bring Mr. Eckman on board as the new director of the VA Maryland Health Care System," says Network Director Robert Walton of Veterans Integrated Service Network 5. "His sound leadership qualities and experience will be valuable assets for the health care system, employees and volunteers, and most importantly, for the veterans we are honored to serve."

Prior to his appointment, Eckman served as the VA Maryland Health Care System's associate director for operations starting on March 5, 2020, and the associate director for finance starting on October 1, 2017.

Before his leadership roles at the VA Maryland Health Care System, Eckman served as the executive assistant to the deputy network director for the VA Capitol Health Care Network, as well as the acting deputy network director from 2016-2017. He also served as the associate medical center director at the Coatesville VA Medical Center in Coatesville, Pennsylvania from 2012-2016. From November 2013 through June 2014, he served as the acting medical center director at the Coatesville VA Medical Center.

Mr. Eckman began his VA career in 2008 as a project engineer at the Perry Point VA Medical Center. In 2010, he was promoted to the project section supervisor, followed by the appointment as the executive assistant to the associate director for finance for the VA Maryland Health Care System.

As the director of the VA Maryland Health Care System, Eckman is responsible for the management of the Baltimore, Loch Raven and Perry Point VA Medical Centers, and the Cambridge, Eastern Baltimore County, Fort Meade, Glen Burnie and Pocomoke VA Outpatient Clinics. In addition to serving the health care needs of Maryland's veterans, the health care system has a robust research and development program, which ranks as one of the largest in the VA system nationwide with a total funding of $19.9 million in fiscal year 2020. As a leader in education, the health care system maintains an active affiliation with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and other local colleges and universities. Over 1,000 residents, interns and students from various disciplines are trained throughout the health care system each year.

"Much of my VA career has been at the VA Maryland Health Care System. As a veteran, I'm looking forward to serving my fellow veterans in my own community, ensuring that we continue to provide the high-quality care they earned," Eckman said. "I'm also looking forward to inspiring VA Maryland Health Care System staff to embrace and share their own expertise with confidence as we all share the same mission of serving our veterans."

An Army veteran, serving from 2000 to 2004, Eckman earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Drexel University, a Master of Engineering in Project Management from the University of Maryland and is a Registered Professional Engineer with the State of Maryland. Eckman, lives in Harford County with his wife and family.

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The VA Maryland Health Care System (VAMHCS) provides a broad spectrum of medical, surgical, rehabilitative, mental health and outpatient care to veterans at three medical centers and five outpatient clinics located throughout the state. More than 52,000 veterans from various generations receive care from VAMHCS annually. Nationally recognized for its state-of-the-art technology and quality patient care, VAMHCS is proud of its reputation as a leader in veterans' health care, research and education. It costs nothing for veterans to enroll for health care with the VA Maryland Health Care System and it could be one of the more important things a veteran can do. To enroll for VA health care, interested veterans can call 877-222-8387 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., or they can visit http://www.va.gov and clinic on "Apply now for VA health care."

Media Contact

Rosalia Scalia, VA Maryland Health Care System, 410-605-7464, [email protected]

SOURCE VA Maryland Health Care System