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 The VHA Office of Healthcare, Innovation and Learning’s (OHIL) Innovation Experience (iEX) is the annual flagship conference for OHIL and the VHA Innovation Ecosystem, providing Veterans and the public an opportunity to experience and celebrate how VHA innovation, collaboration, and technology are breaking boundaries, forging the future of Veteran healthcare, and changing and saving Veteran lives.
Whether you were there in-person or want to hear about innovations shaping the future of Veteran care, you can now access highlights from iEX on YouTube now. From Keynote speeches and expert panels to iEX Talks and award presentations, hear how VA embracing innovation.
 The Honorable Denis McDonough, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, welcomed attendees to the 2023 Innovation Experience (iEX), hosted by the VHA Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning. Hear how constant innovation at VA is already making a tangible difference in the lives of America’s Veterans and will continue to advance Veteran care in the future.
Dr. Shereef Elnahal, VA Under Secretary for Health, welcomed attendees to the second day of the VHA Innovation Experience (iEX) and celebrated the invaluable contributions made by VA’s talented employees. Listen to Dr. Elnahal share how VA’s most valuable asset—its people, are transforming Veteran care.
Each year at the VHA Innovation Experience (iEX), VA innovators are recognized for their contributions to advancing Veteran care with the Innovators Network (iNET) awards and Dr. Robert L. Jesse Award for Excellence in Innovation. Hear Dr. Carolyn Clancy, Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Discovery, Education and Affiliate Networks present awards to some of VA’s exceptional innovators and close out iEX with words of inspiration.
Mission Daybreak Panel
VA’s top clinical priority is preventing Veteran suicide and with the Mission Daybreak challenge, VA called on innovators to develop suicide prevention solutions that meet the diverse needs of Veterans. Mission Daybreak is part of VA’s 10-year strategy to end Veteran suicide through a comprehensive, public health approach. Hear from Mission Daybreak winners on how they are determined to do everything possible to prevent Veteran suicide.
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How Government Accelerates Industry Impact Panel
Innovation to continually improve Veteran care is a collective effort. At the 2023 VHA Innovation Experience (iEX) leaders from VHA’s Innovation Ecosystem, the Department of Defense’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and National Institute of Health’s Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) discuss how government innovation plays a key role in industry impact.
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OHIL Who's Who Panel
Meet some of the leaders from VHA’s Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning discuss how their programs create tangible improvements to Veterans’ care and where they see opportunities for continued innovation. Join Allison Amrhein, Tracey Robilotto, Joseph Beedle, Beth Ripley at the 2023 VHA Innovation Experience (iEX) to hear more about the VHA’s Innovation Ecosystem, Simulation Learning, Evaluation, Assessment, and Research Network (SimLEARN), Center for Care and Payment Innovation (CCPI), and Office of Advanced Manufacturing (OAM).
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National Association of Veterans' Research and Education Foundations (NAVREF) Panel
Innovation at VA is a collective effort, with those inside and outside the organization coming together to advance Veteran care. Listen to National Association of Veterans' Research and Education Foundations (NAVREF) CEO Rashi Romanoff provide remarks to the audience at the 2023 VHA Innovation Experience (iEX).
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iEX Talks
Hear VHA iEX Talks from those at the forefront of their fields as they provide real-world experiences about how innovation has made a tangible change, impacting Veterans at every level of well-being. In six-to-eight-minute TED Talk-style presentations, VA employees China Payne, Kaela Joseph, Matthew Rowley, Kathryn Beckner, Joseph Beedle, and Suzy Shirley share experiences that widen our viewpoint, challenge our perspectives, and touch on current emerging topics in VA.
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'The Exchange' is a monthly gathering for VA employees hosted by VHA Innovation Ecosystem and led each month by a different team of individuals who are disrupting existing models of care to build the future, using the principles and tools of innovation.
This month's call will be held on Thursday 12/21 from 3-4PM ET and bring together a panel of VA innovators who have experience leading innovations in employee engagement and wellbeing! To sign up for 'The Exchange' series, fill out the short sign up form below.
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The holiday season is often especially difficult for Veterans experiencing isolation and loneliness. In response to this, VA’s Compassionate Contact Corps (CCC) serves as a much-needed pathway for Veterans seeking to forge new friendships and explore ways to engage with their community. Led by Lori Murphy, a 2024 VHA IE Entrepreneur in Residence Fellow and operating year-round, CCC connects Veterans with a compassionate VA Volunteer for weekly friendly phone calls, enhancing their sense of connection, reducing loneliness, and improving overall health and wellbeing.
Beyond alleviating loneliness, social connections play a crucial role in enhancing our physical and mental health. Chronic loneliness is associated with an increased risk of stroke, heart disease, dementia, and premature mortality. Additionally, isolation is linked to heightened levels of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. Like maintaining a healthy diet, regular exercise, and adequate sleep, consistent interactions with a caring community contribute significantly to our overall well-being. View CCC's page on Diffusion Marketplace to learn where the program is currently active. If CCC is not currently active at your site and you want to learn more, email vhacoscompassionate@va.gov.
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A recently published study revealed the exceptional accuracy of an advanced mixed reality surgical guidance system developed through a public-private collaboration lead by VHA IE’s National Center for Collaborative Healthcare Innovations (NCCHI). The multiyear effort includes industry experts from MEDIVIS, Microsoft, and Verizon with the goal to enhance healthcare with pioneering technology. “Our overarching goal is to radically transform healthcare, and in doing so significantly improve the health and wellness of our Veterans. These foundational technological advancements are an exciting part of our mission to build the healthcare system of the future,” says Thomas Osborne, MD, Director of NCCHI.
Independent teams conducted 288 tests, adhering to the FDA recognized ASTM F2554-18 standard to measure performance. Results demonstrated consistent accuracy exceeding FDA standards. opening the door to safer, more efficient and cost-effective care. "Our work in this space is significant as it lays the foundation for advanced testing. Demonstrating submillimeter accuracy in HMD's holograms is a pivotal step towards obtaining Surgical guidance approval following MEDIVIS’s success in securing FDA clearance for Surgical planning," says David Arreola, Deputy Director of Operations for NCCHI.
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