VA Memphis medical center first in VA to earn national nutrition excellence designation

The Lt. Col. Luke Weathers Jr. VA Medical Center in Memphis has become the first and only VA medical center to earn the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Center of Excellence in Nutrition and Dietetics designation, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said.

According to the VA, the 2026-2031 designation places VA Memphis Healthcare System among six organizations nationwide recognized across all four domains of excellence. The department said the designation recognizes leadership, evidence-based practice, innovation and measurable outcomes in nutrition and food services.

The VA said the center's Nutrition and Food Services department served about 134,000 meals in fiscal year 2025, while registered dietitians completed nearly 20,000 outpatient nutrition encounters in person and virtually. Visits to MOVE!, the VA's weight-management program, rose 88% in fiscal year 2026 compared with the prior year, the agency said.

According to the VA, patient satisfaction scores rose from 4.2 to 4.6 out of 5.0 after the center adopted a room-service dining model in 2024. The department also said its dietetic internship program has graduated 109 dietitians since 2011, and a relaunched Food Hub supports about 100 veterans and their families each month.

"America's Veterans deserve the very best care, and this national recognition affirms our commitment to delivering exactly that," said Edward Payton, executive director of VA Memphis Healthcare System.

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Originally published by True News: https://truenews.bagleyenterprises.net/stories/280