About us
At the VA Caribbean Healthcare System, we’re dedicated to improving the lives of Veterans and their families every day.
About VA Caribbean health care
The VA Caribbean Healthcare System provides you with outstanding health care, trains America’s future health care providers, and conducts important medical research.
Health care and services
We provide you with health care services at 11 locations, serving Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Facilities include our San Juan VA Medical Center and 10 community-based outpatient clinics: 8 Puerto Rican clinics in Arecibo, Pueblo Ward, Comerio, San Juan, Guayama, Mayaguez, Utuado, and Vieques; and 2, St. Croix and St. Thomas, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. To learn more about the services each location offers, visit the VA Caribbean health services page.
The VA Caribbean Healthcare System is one of the leading health care systems serving Veterans in the VA Sunshine Health Care Network. We’re an innovative care center within the Veterans Integrated Service Network 8 (VISN 8), which includes medical centers and clinics in Florida, Georgia, and the Caribbean.
Research and development
The Associate Chief of Staff for Research and Development Service has an active research program with comprehensive Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) that assures the safety and welfare of all subjects enrolled in research projects sponsored or supported by the hospital. VACHS Institutional Review Board (IRB) provides oversight for all human research studies, medical, social and behavioral. The Research and Development Committee (R&DC) provides the overall oversight of the Human Research Protections Program to assure regulatory compliance.
Access the Research and Development page for The VA Caribbean Healthcare System.
Teaching and learning
San Juan VA Medical Center is a general medicine and surgery teaching hospital that provides a full range of health services for Veterans, with state-of-the-art technology as well as education and research. We’re proud of our partnerships with top institutions and organizations that support the educational mission of the VA.
Fast facts
- San Juan VA Medical Center maintains a total of 402 operating beds, including 280 for acute care and 122 operational nursing home beds.
- In 2019, we employed 3,749 people. Twenty-three percent of our employees were Veterans.
- We serve nearly 71,000 Veterans in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- We had 990,460 outpatient visits in 2019.
- We completed more than 70,000 referrals in the last three years for Veterans to receive services in their communities.
Accreditation
Our facilities and programs have received accreditation from:
- The Joint Commission
- Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities
- College of American Pathologists
- Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care Center – Chest Pain Center
- Commission of Academic Dietetic Education
- American College of Radiation Oncology Practice Accreditation Program
- National Health Physics Program
- Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
- Council of Dental Accreditation
- American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
- American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
- American College of Radiology
- Food and Drug Administration
- Long-Term Care Institute
- American Psychological Association
- American Nurses Credentialing Center
The VA Caribbean Healthcare System received the following awards:
- Greening the Operation Room Recognition Award
- Circle of Excellence – Green Building Category Award
- Environmental Excellence Award