VA Maryland Health Care System

Dennis H. Smith was appointed Director of the VA Maryland Health Care System on May 28, 1995. The Baltimore and Perry Point VA Medical Centers, in addition to the Loch Raven Community Living & Rehabilitation Center and five community based outpatient clinics, all work together to form this comprehensive organization. The health care system is nationally recognized for providing state-of-the-art services to veterans throughout Maryland, including medical, surgical, rehabilitative, neurological, primary and mental health care. As the Director of the VA Maryland Health Care System, Mr. Smith is responsible for the provision of care to more than 52,000 veterans throughout state, with approximately 8,000 admissions and more than 630,000 outpatient visits made annually. With a budget over $460 million and a staff of approximately 2,800, Mr. Smith has positioned the health care system as a leader in veterans’ health care, research and education. Additionally, he led the VA Maryland Health Care System to become one of the 10 Best Places to Work in Baltimore for 2006, 2008 and 2009.

A native of Baltimore, Mr. Smith received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Maryland, College Park; Master of Business Administration from Loyola College, Baltimore, Maryland; and Master of Hospital Administration from George Washington University, Washington, D.C. He began his VA career at the VA Medical Center in Washington, D.C., as a Hospital Administration Resident in 1973. He went on to hold management level positions at the VA Medical Centers in Erie, Pennsylvania; Richmond, Virginia; and Jackson, Mississippi. He also served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he was a preceptor to graduate students studying health care administration. Prior to being appointed as the Director of the VA Maryland Health Care System, he served as the Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary for Health, a senior level position in Washington D.C.

Mr. Smith is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and has served on the Boards of Directors for the United Way of Central Maryland, the Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training, and the Baltimore Research and Education Foundation.