The below message was sent out on Friday, January 26, 2024, by M. Christopher Saslo, DNS, ARNP-BC, FAANP, Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Patient Services, to members of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Peter J. Kaboli, MD, MS, as the Executive Director (ED), Office of Rural Health (ORH) within the Office of Patient Care Services (PCS), Veterans Health Administration, effective January 14, 2024.

Dr. Kaboli has been serving as the Acting ED, ORH since June 2022. While serving in this role, he provides leadership to ORH and five field-based Rural Health Resource Centers. In addition to his acting role, Dr. Kaboli serves as an Associate Investigator, Center for Comprehensive Access and Delivery Research and Evaluation (CADRE) and Staff Physician at the Iowa City VA Medical Center (ICVAMC), Iowa City, IA. As a core researcher with CADRE, Dr. Kaboli studies a wide range of clinical, administrative and policy topics relevant to Veterans Health Administration with a focus on access to rural health care. He has published 153 peer reviewed publications, received more than 20 federal grants and collaborated with researchers across dozens of VA Medical Centers (VAMC), VA Central office operational partner offices and Veteran engagement panels. He also serves are the Deputy National Program Director for Hospital Medicine where he focuses on the needs of small rural VAMCs to provide high-quality acute care in resources limited areas.

Dr. Kaboli began his VA career as a VA Quality Scholars Fellow in 1999. He was appointed as a Staff Physician in 2000 at the ICVAMC, and he has served in increasing roles of responsibility and complexity since he began his VA career. Dr. Kaboli received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and Master’s in Science (Epidemiology) from the University of Iowa College of Public Health. Dr. Kaboli is an American College of Physicians, Fellow and Society of Hospital Medicine Senior Fellow.  He is a member of the Society of General Internal Medicine and the National Rural Health Association.

I am confident that Dr. Kaboli will continue to be an asset to the VHA, our employees, our health care partners, the community, and most importantly, the Veterans we are honored to serve.

Please join me in warmly welcoming Dr. Kaboli to his new role!