Scott Blackburn, CIO of VA, announces immediate resignation

Nicholas Leider | April 17, 2018 | Health Exec |

Scott Blackburn, the acting chief information officer for the Department of Veterans Affairs, announced his immediate resignation April 17. The news, fittingly enough in today’s Washington, was delivered on Twitter.

“From leading the MyVA transformation under Secretary McDonald to serving as interim deputy secretary and then acting CIO under Secretary Shulkin, everyone that knows me understands that I have given my heart and soul to VA, always ‘putting veterans first’ and living the ICARE values of Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect and Excellence,” Blackburn wrote.

“My effort has always been about better caring for veterans regardless of presidential administration, Republican or Democrat—and I have been honored to serve alongside both in a bipartisan way. I want to thank Secretary McDonald and Secretary Shulkin for creating these tremendous opportunities.”

Blackburn, who had been with the VA since 2014, assumed his role in October 2017. This latest news, in the wake of Donald Trump’s firing of VA Secretary David Shulkin, is the latest sign of turbulence as the VA tries to implement an EHR system alongside the Department of Defense.

Nicholas Leider, Managing Editor

Nicholas joined TriMed in 2016 as the managing editor of the Chicago office. After receiving his master’s from Roosevelt University, he worked in various writing/editing roles for magazines ranging in topic from billiards to metallurgy. Currently on Chicago’s north side, Nicholas keeps busy by running, reading and talking to his two cats.

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