Linda Cook is the administrator of the ECHCS Veteran's Choice Program. Her excellence, dedication, and commitment to our Veterans has transformed our facility into one of the most successful Choice sites in all of VHA.Every day, Linda and her team help hundreds of Veterans and community providers navigate through the program requirements. Her tireless efforts have resulted in successful health care services in the community for over 20,000 Veterans in 2016. Linda has advocated for hundreds to thousands of Veterans with our Choice Program contractor, community, and VA providers.
One example involved helping a Veteran who ran into considerable barriers getting authorized and scheduled for a knee replacement through Choice.The Veteran was so impressed with the process and care received in the community that he returned to the community hospital to present them with an appreciation coin in front of the media, Health Net, and VA leadership.She has maintained the highest level of integrity throughout the first few years of a very high profile and controversial congressional upstart.
Linda's commitment is exemplified in the quality of service provided to the 80-120 Veterans that contact her team daily for Choice Program assistance. She has developed training curriculum and trained hundreds of VA and community health care staff on a constantly changing Choice Program. As her service chief, I have received countless reports of appreciation and respect for the work that Linda and her team have accomplished.