/mdva/assets/2023-06-01-eric-meittunen_tcm1066-579609.pngSt. Paul, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) has named Eric Meittunen Deputy Commissioner - Veterans Healthcare effective May 24.

Meittunen will lead MDVA’s Healthcare Division with responsibility for five current and three new Veterans Homes, Adult Day Center and Veteran Suicide Prevention initiative. He will partner with the Healthcare Division Senior Leadership Team to engage our stakeholders, establish strategic plans, and execute operational excellence objectives that achieves the highest quality, safest care for our Residents.

“Eric brings deep healthcare experience to MDVA,” says Interim Commissioner Brad Lindsay. “We look forward to his contributions during a period of significant growth in our healthcare division. Eric will lead our commitment to a smooth transition as we open and welcome hundreds of new staff and Veteran Residents to our three new State Veterans Homes.”

Meittunen joined the Minnesota Army National Guard in Duluth at the age of 17 as a Special Electronic Device Technician (35E). He graduated from the Minnesota State Officer Candidate School and returned to his unit for deployment to Gulf War for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

After the conflict, Meittunen completed a bachelor’s degree in Aviation Management from Minnesota State Mankato, Master’s degree in Risk Control Management/Safety from University of Wisconsin Stout and later completed an Executive MBA degree from University of Minnesota.

Meittunen started his healthcare career as an Intern at Mayo Clinic where his master’s thesis, Nursing Ergonomics, was selected as the top Continuous Improvement Project for the organization; this work would later influence the VA Safety Center’s Safe Patient Handling Program. Meittunen’s healthcare leadership experience includes roles as Hospital Safety Officer, Specialty Service line Clinical Quality, Heart Center clinical operations, Accountable Care, Health System Performance Excellence, and as consultant to the United Kingdom’s National Health System. Most recently, Meittunen provided Health System Transformation Leadership to Hennepin Healthcare (HCMC) and Hennepin County where he led work in the areas of Payer/Provider Partnership Innovations, Social Determinants of Health, Health Equity, Analytics and Population Health Strategy operational execution.

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About MDVA
The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) is a cabinet-level state agency dedicated to serving Minnesota Veterans and their families. In addition to overseeing the five State Veterans Homes, MDVA helps eligible Veterans and families secure state and federal benefits and provides programs and services relating to higher education, benefits, burial, claims, outreach and Veterans employment. Veterans and their families are encouraged to visit www.MinnesotaVeteran.org or call 1-(888)-LinkVet for more information about benefits.