VA - Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center

Medical Care

The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center serves as the primary health care provider for almost 130,000 veterans in southeast Texas. Veterans from around the country are referred to the MEDVAMC for specialized diagnostic care, radiation therapy, surgery, and medical treatment including cardiovascular surgery, gastrointestinal endoscopy, nuclear medicine, ophthalmology, and treatment of spinal cord injury and diseases. The MEDVAMC is home to a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Clinic; Network Polytrauma Center; an award-winning Cardiac and General Surgery Program; Liver Transplant Center; VA Epilepsy and Cancer Centers of Excellence; VA Substance Abuse Disorder Quality Enhancement Research Initiative; Health Services Research & Development Center of Innovation; VA Rehabilitation Research of Excellence focusing on mild to moderate traumatic brain injury; Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center; and one of the VA’s six Parkinson’s Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Centers. In late 2012, the MEDVAMC received official designation as a Kidney Transplant Center. Including the outpatient clinics in Beaumont, Conroe, Galveston, Houston, Katy, Lufkin, Richmond, Tomball and Texas City, MEDVAMC outpatient clinics log more than a million outpatient visits annually.

Teaching Hospital

Almost 4,000 health care professionals provide high quality care to our Veterans. For more than 50 years, the MEDVAMC has provided clinical training for health care professionals through our major affiliate, Baylor College of Medicine* (BCM). MEDVAMC operates one of the largest VA residency programs with 269.7 slots in 40 sub-specialties. Each academic year, almost 2,000 students are trained through 144 affiliation agreements with institutions of higher learning in 19 states. Health care students from fields such as nursing, dietetics, social work, physical therapy, and a wide variety of medical specialties receive training here each year. Affiliation agreements also include training opportunities for health care administration, health information technology, medical records billing and coding, and health education students. This responsibility serves to enhance the quality of care provided to our Veterans. As a member institution of the Texas Medical Center* (TMC) since 1985, the MEDVAMC staff serves on various TMC oversight committees that contribute to improved patient care and hospital operations. The vast majority of MEDVAMC physicians are also faculty members of Baylor College of Medicine.

Awards and Accreditation

The MEDVAMC has received national awards and honors including accreditation from Joint Commission* for hospital, long-term care, behavioral health care, home care, and substance abuse. In early 2014, the MEDVAMC was awarded re-designation for Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Services by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.  This recognizes the Medical Center for quality patient care, nursing excellence and innovations in professional nursing practice.  MEDVAMC is the first VA medical center in the nation to receive redesignation of Magnet status twice.  The Medical Center is consistently recognized for demonstrating low observed-to-expected mortality rates in general surgery, all surgery, and all non-cardiac surgery. In 2011, the medical center’s Pathology and Laboratory Medicine was awarded accreditation by the Accreditation Committee of the College of American Pathologists and its Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center was awarded a 3-year accreditation by Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission (CARF). The MEDVAMC earned the Gold Seal of Approval™ in 2011 from the Joint Commission as an Advanced Primary Stroke Center. The MEDVAMC is the first VA medical center with this designation. In May 2012, MEDVAMC was awarded specialty accreditation by the American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation for its Clinical Neuropsychology Postdoctoral Program. The MEDVAMC Clinical Neuropsychology Fellowship is one of only 18 APA specialty, accredited Clinical Neuropsychology Fellowships. The MEDVAMC’s Health Care for Homeless Veterans, Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans, and Vocational Rehabilitation Programs; Comprehensive Integrated Inpatient Rehabilitation Program; and Inpatient and Outpatient Amputee System of Care Program were all awarded 3-year accreditations by CARF.

Modern Facility

Located on a 118-acre campus and built in 1991, MEDVAMC is a state-of-the-art facility with 357 acute care beds, a 40-bed Spinal Cord Injury Center, and a 141-bed Community Living Center. It also has a 40-bed domiciliary residence for homeless Veterans. An automated, computer-controlled transport system delivers food, laundry, and supplies throughout the building. The six-story granite building is designed with four exterior sections and four atriums that contain patio gardens, wheelchair basketball courts, and a rehabilitation pool.

Eligibility

Career Phase:
Discharges Allowed:
  • No Minimum Discharge
Military Branch:
Programs for Family Members:
Service Counties:
  • Dallas
Services Category:
  • Mental Health
  • MH - Counseling
  • Physical Health
  • PH - VA Location
VA Disability Rating Requirement:
  • No Disability Requirement
Vet Plus: