VA Innovation

January is International Quality of Life Month—a time to focus on what truly matters: independence, well-being, and daily dignity.

At the VHA Office of Advanced Manufacturing (OAM), we’re improving Veterans’ quality of life with innovative tools like 3D-printed writing splints, adaptive sports devices, and wheelchair accessories. Each solution helps Veterans overcome challenges and reclaim parts of their lives, from hobbies to essential daily tasks.

At OAM, we make what we cannot buy—because every Veteran deserves the tools to thrive. Learn more about our solutions: https://www.innovation.va.gov/oam/

📢 In this week's VHA IE newsletter:

• Celebrate the successes of the 2024 Diffusion Marketplace, with 52 innovations and over 1 million page views.
• Register for January’s Exchange to meet the new 2025 VHA IE Fellows and learn about their innovative projects.
• Discover Dr. Jay Gorman’s work combating loneliness through Veterans Socials, now reaching 134 sites across 25 states.
• Learn about an innovative cafeteria solution improving accessibility for Veterans, developed through the Spark-Seed-Spread program.

Don’t miss the latest updates driving change in Veteran health care. Share with colleagues and subscribe for more updates: https://bit.ly/4he8YVq

Diffusion Marketplace Highlights Successes of 2024 Diffusion Marketplace Highlights Successes of 2024 Veterans Health Administration sent this bulletin at 01/14/2025 09:41 AM EST Share this email with your colleagues to make sure they get the latest VHA IE news: SUBSCRIBE Diffusion Marketplace Highlights Successes of 2024 In 2024, Diffusion Marketpl...

SimLEARN leadership visited the new Fredericksburg Health Care Clinic, a state-of-the-art 500,000 sq ft facility affiliated with Richmond VA Medical Center. During this pivotal visit, the team presented to 56 health care leaders, including service line chiefs and directors, both in-person and virtually.

Following comprehensive discussions about the new health care space, they conducted facility tours and developed simulation scenarios for process testing. The focus remains on ensuring seamless interoperability between services and robust emergency processes at this expansive site.

Looking ahead, the SimLEARN Assessment, Outreach, and Collaboration (ACO) team will commence System Hospital Activation testing in February 2025. This initiative will support Phase 1 opening through specialized process-oriented simulations. ACO continues to work closely with the Fredericksburg team to prepare relevant scenarios that will help assess processes, workspace utilization, and emergency responses in this substantial new health care facility.

Diffusion of Excellence’s Diffusion Talent Accelerator (DTA) training and mentorship program has been helping VISN and VA program office employees to strengthen their ability to replicate and scale innovative practices for the last two years.

The newest cohort of DTA specialists will spend the next two years learning from subject-matter experts in the VHA Innovation Ecosystem, building an infrastructure for their own Diffusion programs, and strengthening their ability to replicate and scale innovative practices.

Read more about this cohort in last week's CLSL: https://bit.ly/40s2kWa

Diffusion Talent Accelerator Cohort Advancing and Strengthening Innovative Practices Diffusion Talent Accelerator Cohort Advancing and Strengthening Innovative Practices Veterans Health Administration sent this bulletin at 01/07/2025 09:43 AM EST Share this email with your colleagues to make sure they get the latest VHA IE news: SUBSCRIBE Diffusion Talent Accelerator Cohort Advancin...