advertisement

Lovell Federal Health Care Center welcomes back Dr. Robert Buckley as new director

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. - Dr. Robert Buckley is officially the new director of the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago, Ill., effective today.

As director of the Lovell FHCC, the country's first fully-integrated Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense medical facility, Buckley oversees the delivery of health care to more than 76,000 veterans and active duty personnel at the 365-bed hospital, its three outpatient clinics, and at four branch clinics located at Naval Station Great Lakes. He is responsible for an operating budget of approximately $419,000,000 and a workforce of nearly 3,200 employees, including VA employees and uniformed Navy personnel as well as contractors.

While Buckley is new to the position, he is no stranger to Lovell Federal Health Care Center or the local community. His last Navy active duty assignment was deputy director and commanding officer of Lovell Federal Health Care Center prior to his military retirement in 2016.

Along with his previous tenure at the FHCC, Buckley has had multiple complex and challenging health care leadership roles throughout the globe that make him uniquely suited for his new job.

He served as chief of staff of the $1.3 billion, tri-service Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, which successfully opened and gained full accreditation in 2011 under his leadership. Buckley most recently was the chief of staff at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center. He held that position since 2016.

Buckley earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from California State University, a medical degree from the Northwestern University Medical School, and Masters in Public Health from the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics from San Diego State University.

Buckley told FHCC staff in his first all-hands email message that he is honored to return to Lovell Federal Health Care Center and looks forward to working with all staff members and volunteers.

"Together, we will continue to make Lovell Federal Health Care Center the best health care facility possible for all those who are entrusted to our care - to include active duty service members, their families, retirees and our honored veterans," Buckley wrote.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.