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New Director Takes Over at Bay Pines VA

Bay Pines VA | Paul Russo | Healthcare

He had been the director of the Miami VA Healthcare System for the past six years

SEMINOLE – Paul M. Russo has taken over as the medical director of the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Russo, who started work Monday (Sept. 17), will oversee delivery of health care to about 110,000 veterans and an operating budget of more than $810 million dollars.

Russo is joining the healthcare system after serving as the director of the Miami VA Healthcare System for the past six years. Before his last appointment, he was the director at the W.G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center in Salisbury, NC.

Russo received his undergraduate degree from the State University of New York College at Buffalo in 1982 in clinical nutrition. He obtained his registered ietitian status in October 1982. He began his VA career as a staff dietitian at the Buffalo VA Medical Center, eventually working his way to the chief of the Integrated Nutrition and Food Service Department between Miami and West Palm Beach VA Healthcare Systems. He then served as the assistant director of the Miami VA Healthcare System before his appointment as associate director of the West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System from 1994 through 2010.

Russo is also a graduate of Leadership VA class of 1997 and a graduate of the Veterans Health Administration Executive Career Field class 2003. He is also a certified mentor at the fellow level and several of his mentees have progressed to senior executive positions within the Veterans Health Administration.

He received his master’s degree in health systems administration at Rochester Institute of Technology in 2005 and was recognized as a distinguished alumnus in 2013. He is board certified as a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He is a recipient of the Administrators Hands and Heart Award in 1985 awarded when working as Oncology Dietitian at the Bay Pines VAHS and Secretary’s Award for Dietitian of the Year in 1996. He is a senior member of the American Society for Quality and has maintained his registered dietitian status.

In 2006 he received the ACHE Regents Award for establishing the Treasure Coast Health Care Executive Network, a local chapter of ACHE. He served as president of the chapter from 2006-2008 and board member thereafter. In 2011 he received the ACHE Distinguished Service Award. In February 2015 he received the Legion of Honor Humanitarian Award from the Chapel of the Four Chaplains in recognition of his service to all people regardless of race or faith.

“Mr. Russo’s sound leadership qualities and proven experience will be valuable assets for Bay Pines, the employees and volunteers, and most importantly, for the Veterans we are honored to serve,” said Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 8 Network Director Miguel LaPuz, MD, MBA.

With more than 4,300 employees and facilities in Bradenton, Cape Coral, Naples, Palm Harbor, Port Charlotte, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, and Sebring, the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System has 397 operating beds and conducted nearly 1.45 million outpatient visits last year.

Photo shows Paul Russo (center), director, Bay Pines VAHCS, who is accompanied by Dr. Miguel Lapuz (right), VISN 8 Network Director, greeting employees on Russo’s first day at the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center. Photo courtesy of the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center.

Bay Pines VA | Healthcare | Veterans | Veterans Healthcare | Tampabay News

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