Unintentional Irony Watch: Veterans Affairs Seeks "Executive Director for Ethics in Health Care"

My colleague Peter Suderman has well documented the manifold ethical lapses of Veterans Affairs Department bureaucrats in their treatment (or lack thereof) of the men and women who have served in our nation's armed forces. As it happens Veterans Affairs is looking to hire someone to provide guidance to the agency on ethical issues. The duties of the new head of the National Center for Ethics in Health Care at the Department of Veterans Affairs as outlined in the job posting include:  

The incumbent of this position establishes, measures, and continuously improves ethical healthcare practices throughout VA's healthcare system so that patients, families and staff will experience VA as a highly ethical organization.

The new executive director also…

…proactively identifies and manages controversial healthcare ethics issues; provides practical advice to the Under Secretary for Health and other VA leaders and staff; guides, mentors, and supports a diverse staff of 29 that includes clinicians, ethicists, and social workers at 3 office sites; efficiently administers a $5+ million budget;…establishes standards for ethics programs in each of VA's 150+ healthcare facilities; provides expert guidance to several thousand field-based ethics program staff….

Interested candidates have until June 23 to apply. Good luck!

See Peter Suderman's superb article, "The VA Health System Is a Tragic Warning Against Government-Run Health Care."