8 OUR COMMUNITY — 2023
HEALTH CARE IN DANVILLE
VA Illiana a fixture in Danville
“ We have a lot of plans for this medical system ,” said Executive Director Staci Williams . “ The part that ’ s most exciting to me is our journey to high reliability . Really , truly , that is the key because that ensures that the quality consistently remains here , and we really want to improve on the veteran experience . We want our veterans to choose us because we know , and CMS is now telling us too , that we provide the quality care that they need throughout their lives . We want our veterans to choose us .” Photos courtesy of U . S . Department of Veterans Affairs
‘ It ’ s really the staff that makes this place so phenomenal ’
BY HANNAH SHILLO
Celebrating 125 years of operation this year , the eighth oldest VA in the country is still achieving firsts – the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services awarded VA Illiana Health Care System with its first five-star ranking for quality in July . Executive Director Staci Williams said CMS had never used VA in its star rankings prior to this year , so receiving the highest ranking for quality was something she was proud of , but she couldn ’ t take all of the credit .
“ It ’ s really the staff that makes this place so phenomenal ,” Williams said . “ They are dedicated to public service ( and ) they are dedicated to our veterans . Many of them are veterans themselves , which is really cool . They ’ re all committed to this mission , and not only the mission but also this community . When you think about it , they ’ ve lived here , they ’ ve grown up here or they ’ ve chosen to move here .”
Much of the staff has a connection to military service , too , Williams said , whether it ’ s that they ’ re veterans themselves , or they have a personal tie to a veteran . Williams is married to a veteran .
VA Police Chief Shawn Harper , Equal Employment Officer Lori Jones and Public Affairs Officer Dori Camacho- Torres are all U . S . Army veterans , Health System Specialist Tim Seyfert is a U . S .
Marine Corp veteran , and Supply Chain Management Deputy Chief Josh VanLeer is an Illinois Army National Guard veteran .
Tara Hackerd , chief of quality management , comes from a family of veterans . Her grandmother was an Army nurse who served more than 100 amputees while stationed in England , and her father served in the Navy .
Having that personal connection makes her role in ensuring quality care to veterans all the more important . The veterans deserve it , she said .
“ You know , they ’ ve sacrificed a lot for us ,” Hackerd said . “ With my ties , I ’ m very dedicated to the mission and vision , and to ensuring that they ’ re receiving exceptional care .”
In addition to the veterans it cares for , Danville VA Medical Center has impacted more lives as Vermilion County ’ s largest employer . It currently employs more than
8 OUR COMMUNITY — 2023