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PsychArmor’s podcast, “Behind the Mission,” is aiming to bridge the gap between military and civilian communities. In a recent episode, host Duane France delved into a compelling conversation with Ashley Hammond and Stacey Lewis, spotlighting their impactful roles with VA Pathfinder.
As a key figure in the New England Center for Innovation Excellence, Stacey Lewis spearheads VA Pathfinder’s implementation, helping to establish the digital platform as a gateway for innovators and vendors, further democratizing access to collaboration within VA.
Ashley Hammond, a Portfolio Manager with VA's Category Management Support Office, shared how her role with Pathfinder facilitates collaboration between vendors and VA, and fostering innovation..
The podcast explores the history of VA innovation and the critical role played by Veterans in improving health care delivery. Highlighting the significance of Veteran involvement, the episode provides actionable insights for both civilians and the military-connected community.
Listeners can tune in to discover VA’s groundbreaking efforts in innovation and the transformative potential of programs like Pathfinder. Stacey Lewis and Ashley Hammond's valuable contributions underscore the importance of collaboration in creating a more connected and supportive community for Veterans.
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The MIT Catalyst Fellowship is one of VHA Innovation Ecosystem's three Innovation Fellowship opportunities, bringing together the US Department of Veterans Affairs, VHA Innovation Ecosystem, the Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, and the MIT Office of Innovation. The program stands out for enabling innovative projects with substantial health improvement potential to transcend the confines of a single lab or organization. The participating cohort, which is made up of equal numbers of VA and non-VA Fellows, immerses themselves in a dynamic, team-based, multidisciplinary environment.
Previous cohorts have launched new businesses, carved out novel research paths, and ventured into diverse professional trajectories. Participants benefit from mentorship provided by leading private sector and academic professionals. The program also leverages the proven MIT linQ Innovation Method, specifically designed to amplify the impact of real-world medical innovation opportunities.
The Catalyst program unfolds in two distinct phases. Phase One, to be completed within the initial six months, involves an in-depth exploration and assessment of health care industry needs. This is achieved through visits to labs, consultations with clinicians, and comprehensive literature reviews. Following the initial 6 months, Phase Two unfolds over approximately one to three years, during which teams collaborate in a multidisciplinary setting to create and test their solutions.
The MIT Catalyst Fellowship is thrilled to announce the selection of eight VA fellows for the Spring 2024 Cohort:
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Thomas Beachkofsky, MD, Director of Dermatology Laser Surgery and Cutaneous Rehabilitation Clinic from the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa, Florida
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Rinu Daniel, Clinical Rehabilitation Engineer from the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa, Florida
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Danielle Hallman, DNP, RN, NE-BC, Assistant Chief Nurse of Mental Health from Bay Pines VA Healthcare System
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Amit Kalia, MD, Chief of Imaging and Section Chief of Interventional Radiology at the Bruce W. Carter VA Medical Center in Miami
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Amit Kalia, MD, Chief of Imaging and Section Chief of Interventional Radiology at the Bruce W. Carter VA Medical Center in Miami
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Sarah Carbone, a Research Health Science Specialist at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
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David Lawrence, MD, FASAM, Medical Director at Downtown Los Angeles Substance Use Disorder Clinic, VA Greater Los Angeles Health System
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Javier Nazario-Larrieu, MD, Staff Interventional Radiologist at the VA Caribbean Healthcare System in San Juan, Puerto Rico
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In case you missed it, The VHA Innovators Network just released their 2023 Annual Report, highlighting the achievements of the innovators and Innovation Specialists across VHA. iNET is a group of 42 VA medical centers across the country who invest in frontline employee-driven, Veteran-focused innovation. iNET engages employees in their design and development of their Veteran solutions and the education of thousands of employees through teaching innovation competencies such as Human Centered Design (HCD), lean start-up, storytelling, building an innovation strategy, and more.
This year's annual report covered a variety of topics, from the VA Intrapreneurial Product Marketplace, how iNET is engaging Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) in the innovation process, and the latest on 2023-2024 Spark-Seed-Spread Investments. This year saw the launch of the VA Intrapreneurial Product Marketplace (VAIPM), a new platform to put employee developed innovative products straight into the hands of Veterans.
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The U.S. population over the age of 65 years old is expected to nearly double over the next 30 years. In preparation for this change, VA has joined the Age-Friendly Health Systems movement to ensure that every Veteran is provided with safe, high-quality health care aligned with their unique goals and preferences as they age.
VHA’s Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC) has set a goal for VA to become the largest integrated health care system in the nation to be recognized by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) for its commitment to age friendly care.
GEC is recruiting teams to participate in the upcoming 2024 VA Age-Friendly Action Community. From December 2023 to July 2024, the VA Action Community will provide a series of monthly webinars and coaching calls to support VA teams on their journey. Learn how to streamline care for older Veterans by utilizing the 4Ms framework and prioritizing what matters most.
Join the 131 VA facilities that are part of the Age-Friendly Health Systems movement and earn national recognition from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Continuing education credits are also available. Ready to get started?
Note: content is available to VA employees only
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In case you missed it, view some recent stories from VHA IE:
Come back next week for updates on Mission Daybreak, the Veterans Impact Project, and 5G in VA.
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Want to learn more about innovation at VA? Visit our website, sign up for The Exchange, scan Diffusion Marketplace, and explore VA Pathfinder to learn more about our opportunities.
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