News in brief DO appointed to VA leadership role Haipeng “Mark” Zhang, DO, will serve as acting assistant under secretary for health. Feb. 24, 2026TuesdayFebruary 2026 issue Katie Arvia Katie Arvia is a digital content specialist at the AOA. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Contact Katie Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Dr. Zhang Haipeng “Mark” Zhang, DO, has been appointed acting assistant under secretary for health (AUSH), Office of Discovery, Education and Affiliate Networks (DEAN) at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Prior to this role, Dr. Zhang served in several leadership positions, including chief innovation officer of the Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning. Currently, Dr. Zhang serves as a liaison to the American Osteopathic Information Association’s (AOiA) Digital Health Innovation Steering Committee. In this non-voting role, he shares his diverse background, expertise and leadership to support the AOiA’s efforts to advance osteopathic voices in digital health and innovation. Dr. Zhang is the co-creator of Palliative Care Fast Facts and the co-founder of Cake, a digital platform and organization founded in 2015 with the goal of making end-of-life and advance care planning more accessible and personalized. He also served as the inaugural president of the American Medical Informatics Association Clinical Informatics Fellows (ACIF). In addition, Dr. Zhang is the creator of several award-winning applications, include COVID Pass and Mass General Brigham Prescreen. Related reading: From Baghdad to the Buccaneers: Lessons from the field 3 ways we can all promote DOs and the osteopathic medical profession More in Newsbriefs Poetry collection by DO explores healing, resilience Lt. Col. Ivan Edwards, DO, Air Force Reserve flight surgeon, has released “Resonance of the Soul: Flowers and Harmonics,” a poetry collection that gives voice to healing and human stories. Applications now open for AOA’s new Physician Payment Policy Fellowship Apply for the AOA’s inaugural 18-month Physician Payment Policy Fellowship and deepen your expertise in healthcare payment systems. Applications are due Dec. 19, 2025. Previous articleIn Memoriam: February 2026 Next articleWorkplace violence in healthcare 2026: Medscape survey findings
Poetry collection by DO explores healing, resilience Lt. Col. Ivan Edwards, DO, Air Force Reserve flight surgeon, has released “Resonance of the Soul: Flowers and Harmonics,” a poetry collection that gives voice to healing and human stories.
Applications now open for AOA’s new Physician Payment Policy Fellowship Apply for the AOA’s inaugural 18-month Physician Payment Policy Fellowship and deepen your expertise in healthcare payment systems. Applications are due Dec. 19, 2025.