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 VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System surgeon Dr. Daniel Hall and the Surgical Pause practice have just been announced as recipients of the 2023 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Award in the National Level Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality category by The Joint Commission and National Quality Forum. The patient safety awards program, launched in 2002, honors the late John M. Eisenberg, MD, MBA, former administrator of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Surgical Pause is an initiative that uses a Risk Analysis Index (RAI) to screen Veterans for frailty in 30 seconds, effectively flagging high risk Veterans so the surgical team can ensure the proposed treatment plans both mitigate known risks and align with the Veterans’ overarching life goals.
In 2019, Dr. Hall submitted the Surgical Pause to the VHA Shark Tank Competition, and was selected from a pool of almost 600 applicants. After initial replication, the Surgical Pause was chosen as a National Diffusion Practice, allowing him to receive additional support from Diffusion of Excellence in replicating to additional VA facilities.
With support from VHA’s National Surgery Office, Geriatrics and Extended Care and Diffusion of Excellence program, the Surgical Pause has now been replicated at more than 50 VA medical centers and a growing number of private sector institutions.
Data provided from the initial pilot sites support Surgical Pause’s success. Omaha VAMC in Omaha, Nebraska, decreased six-month mortality among frail patients from 25% to 8%, and later efforts at the Pittsburgh VAMC and Malcom Randall VAMC in Gainesville, Florida, replicated this improvement. For example, a 2023 study published in JAMA Surgery reported that from July 1, 2016, to May 31, 2019, one-year mortality fell from 20% to 16% after implementing the Surgical Pause in a sample of more than 50,000 patients.
“This award is a testament to the incredibly work Dr. Hall and the Surgical Pause team are doing," said Blake Henderson, Director of Diffusion of Excellence. "The Surgical Pause demonstrates how VA can combine creativity with research and operational innovation to drastically change the Veteran care experience.”
VHA’s National Surgery Office serves as a champion for the Surgical Pause, formally adopting it as a national initiative in 2023 to scale implementation for VA facilities with surgical programs. The Surgical Pause will improve outcomes for frail Veterans and align treatment plans with their overarching life goals. You can learn more about the Surgical Pause on Diffusion Marketplace.
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'The Exchange' is a monthly gathering hosted by the 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 Thursday, a panel of innovators will convene to discuss the projects they lead, collaborating across VA, industry, academia, non-profits, and other government agencies. Tune in to learn about their innovation journeys and lessons learned!
Miss our January Exchange call on innovation in rural health? Check it out here!
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The VHA Innovators Network (iNET), a program within VHA Innovation Ecosystem (VHA IE), is a bustling community of employees united by a desire to solve health care problems and engage in shared learning. At iNET sites across the country, Innovation Specialists lead programs and connect employees to resources to generate solutions for Veterans, caregivers, and fellow employees. One of those programs, “Ignite” is opening registration for its 2024 series.
Ignite is a four-week virtual workshop experience open to all VA employees where iNET spurs new ways of thinking, introduces VA employees to the power of iNET, and fires up the inherent creative problem-solving power of our workforce.
The purpose of the VHA Innovators Network Ignite series is to “ignite” interest in innovation for the upcoming opportunities available to staff. The focus will be specifically on practical strategies to carve out time for innovating at work, using empathy as a foundational framework for making problem-solving human centered, and introducing multiple ways to get involved in the Innovation Ecosystem.
Ignite has four sessions open for registration throughout March.
March 6: Making Time for Innovation
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Instructor: Allison Amrhein MPH, Director, VHA Innovators Network
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The first session in the Ignite series aims to address a common concern encountered in iNET: “I don't have time for innovation.” This class will equip employees with practical strategies to carve out time for innovating at work.
March 13: Introduction to Human-Centered Design (HCD)
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Instructor: Brent Aguilar, HCD Lead, Innovation Specialist, San Francisco VA Medical Center
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iNET champions human-centered design (HCD) as their go-to method for solving complex issues. In this second session of the Ignite series employees will delve into the world of HCD, learning the importance of empathy and problem framing as they begin preparing to engage with VHA IE.
March 20: I’m Ready. Where Do I Start?
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Instructor: Matt Knight, iNET Programming Curator
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Class three of the Ignite series will introduce a number of opportunities to engage with VHA IE’s programming. This session will cover upcoming opportunities to apply for Go Fish!, Spark-Seed-Spread, iNET site status, Shark Tank, VHA Innovation Ecosystem fellowships, and more.
March 27: Driving Innovation Forward – Panel Discussion
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In the fourth and final class, panelists will “Ignite” employee passion for innovation and leave them feeling ready to apply to one of VHA IE’s many programs and offerings. Attendees will hear a panel discussion involving those who have done it before and be ready to take that next step with the Innovator’s Network.
Interested innovators can sign up for one or all sessions by using this form. CEUs for multiple disciplines will be available for each class. Instructions to register in TMS will be included in each calendar invitation.
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 Pictured left to right: Ines Valencia-Mendoza, Dr. Tammy Finney, Mindy Davis, and Kayla Lalande
To kick off the new year, Diffusion of Excellence held the inaugural Diffusion Talent Accelerator (DTA) orientation in Washington, DC. DTA is a training and mentorship program for VISN and VA program office employees seeking to strengthen their ability to replicate and scale innovative practices.
During the event, attendees received valuable training from VHA leaders, including Dr. Sabrina Clark, Director of VA Center for Development & Civic Engagement (CDCE); Allison Amrhein, Director of VHA Innovators Network; Blake Henderson, Director of Diffusion of Excellence; and a keynote address from Dr. Carolyn Clancy, VHA Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Discovery, Education and Affiliate Networks.
DTA participants continued their training later that month at Diffusion Academy, a three-day in-person training that brought together seasoned innovation teams from across VHA to develop a business case for further growth and sustainment of their innovations. DTA participants will receive ongoing support throughout their journey, including support from dedicated mentors and access to Innovation Ecosystem resources. By the end of their first year in the program, participants will have the skills necessary to identify, implement, and scale innovative practices within their VISN or program office.
Diffusion of Excellence is thrilled to highlight DTA’s first cohort:
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Dr. Tammy Finney: Chief, Community Relations & Engagement, Columbia VA Health Care System
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Kayla Lalande: Program Analyst, Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC)
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Ines Valencia-Mendoza: Program Analyst, Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC)
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Mindy Davis: Diffusion Specialist (VISN 22)
Visit the VHA Innovation Ecosystem website to learn more about Diffusion Talent Accelerator. If you have any questions, please contact VADiffusionSupport@va.gov.
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Dr. Jay Gorman, is a clinical research investigator at the Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center at the VA Bedford Healthcare System. He leads Veterans Socials, events intended to foster connections among Veterans dealing with loneliness. Dr. Gorman’s research explores social outreach and barriers to service utilization, driving support initiatives for Veterans while increasing their engagement with VA care resources. This year, Dr. Gorman is also a 2024 Entrepreneur in Residence Fellow with VHA Innovation Ecosystem.
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For more insight into program impact, explore the story of military police officer Jessica Mack as she navigates the challenges of social isolation and PTSD in civilian life. Discover how VA Bedford Healthcare System’s VOICES Veterans Socials provide vital connections and support for Veterans like Mack. To learn more about the transformative impact of these gatherings, as recounted by Mack herself, delve into the research highlighting the importance of social connection for mental health and well-being. You can follow the expansion of these social groups across various regions, including the Rocky Mountain area, and how they provide a lifeline for Veterans seeking community and support. To join VOICES Veterans Social or initiate one in your area, visit www.mentalhealth.va.gov/socials or contact vhabedvoices@va.gov.
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