Survey to evaluate VA's Women Veterans Program Managers

A Marine Corps veteran and American Legion member wants to know how the addition of Women Veterans Program Managers at VA medical centers nationwide is affecting health care for women veterans.

Women veterans who use VA health-care facilities can take the quick survey here. The survey ends March 1.

Kimberly Francois, a University of Phoenix doctoral candidate in industrial organizational psychology and a 26-year veteran of the Marine Corps, is surveying women veterans to gauge VA’s progress. Francois has a bachelor’s degree in biology, Master of Business Administration degree in human resources management, and a Master of Science degree in industrial organizational psychology to go along with her Marine Corps career. She retired as a chief warrant officer – 5, personnel officer.

“The purpose of the study is to evaluate whether or not the Women Veterans Program Manager improves accessibility of health-care services for women veterans,” Francois says. “Numerous government reports revealed the need for organizational and managerial changes in the health-care system within the VA for women veterans. However, academic literature evaluating the Women Veterans Program Manager is non-existent.”

Francois received authorization from Dr. Patricia Hayes, chief consultant for women’s health services at VA, to fulfill that missing research need and will extend findings to Women Veterans Program Managers at VA medical centers throughout the country. She will also share findings with The American Legion.