Dr. Bernard Dekoning, MD

If not for Dr. Dekoning, my husband would have been suffering from repeated exposure to infection from sitting in nonpressurized waiting rooms and perpetual misdiagnoses from the physicians that treated my husband with antiBs without garnering an accurate diagnosis first. Dr. Dekoning literally saved my husband from the constant bouts of pneumonia infections landing us in the ER and even aligned us with home based care that we had no idea existed. Until Dr. Dekoning, no one listened, everyone wanted to follow protocols-processes that required in-person visits just to discuss lab results -rather than telecare- and leveled monthly radiation scans which did more harm than good. Dr. Dekoning personally intervened, assessed the conditions, diseases, medications and medical history, and after thorough review, offered solutions that have since prevented another ER visit for respiratory infection. I am sad he is no longer CoS at VA. He was the best and he genuinely cared for these veterans.

Dr. Dekoning is an excellent hospital administrator. He coordinates the resources among various clinics for the efficiency, cost containment and delivery that affect the front line care that patients need. It is unfortunate that so many good potential candidates for employment are blocked by the HR there who seeks out certain employees based on Affirmative Action rather than on qualities, skill set and proven employment history. The people Dr. Dekoning has added to the hospital have significantly improved the care veterans receive at Dorn but the weakness of that hospital and any employment system will be the quality of the workers hired. I think HR needs an overhaul and an audit which will prove those staff are systematically filtering good candidates from consideration.