 Earlier this year, Cincinnati VA launched the Six Service Challenge, a 10-week fitness initiative designed for Veterans from all branches of the military. This challenge, envisioned by Associate Director Dr. Jim Hall, utilized VA data sharing platforms and wearable fitness trackers to create a competitive environment that encouraged wellness. Participants received VA-issued trackers that paired with the Share My Health Data app, allowing them to monitor their steps, distance, and calories burned, segmented by military branch.
Supported by VHA’s Digital and Remote Health Center for Innovation and the Office of Connected Care, the initiative collected valuable data on technology use while helping Veterans track their fitness progress. Dr. Shari Frensemeier, chief of whole health, emphasized the goal of fostering connection and motivation among Veterans to enhance their health.
Nearly 100 Veterans participated, supported by health and wellness coaches who offered personalized guidance. The challenge not only promoted physical health but also encouraged social interactions, with many teams organizing activities like nature walks and workouts. Participants reported significant improvements in their overall well-being, with some losing weight and reducing medication.
Testimonials highlighted the challenge's positive impact on their lives, fostering self-care motivation and resilience. Overall, the Six Service Challenge exemplified an innovative approach to health and community building among Veterans, inspiring continued engagement and hope for all involved.
VHA Innovation Ecosystem’s Incubator series kicks off this Thursday, October 10th, with a panel session on making time for innovation. All VA employees are welcome! Finding and advocating for time to innovate at work is essential for impactful innovation. Led by the VHA Innovator's Network (iNET) Director, Allison Amrhein, this opening class provides tools and advice for how to overcome time barriers and secure dedicated time for innovation. Take the first step in carving out that time by signing up to learn from VA and industry experts!
The Incubator series is curated to cover practical skills for designing, testing, and scaling innovations that impact Veterans, caregivers, and VA employees. Running from October to January, each session focuses on a different aspect of the innovation lifecycle, including human-centered design, engaging stakeholders, designing inclusive solutions, and scaling your project. You can read more about individual classes here. Join us in creating innovative change across VA to help better the lives of Veterans!
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VHA IE is excited to announce that the following VA staff have been awarded the 2024 FORUM IMPACT Women in Leadership Awards!
Angela Gant-Curtis, the Deputy Chief Technology Officer for Innovations & Director of VA Innovation Unit has been awarded the Government Lifetime Achievement Award! Gant-Curtis has dedicated over three decades to VA, showing unwavering commitment and exceptional leadership in technology and innovation. Gant-Curtis has continuously shown a forward-thinking attitude throughout her career, using technology to overcome difficult problems and enhance health care outcomes.
In addition, Dr. Nichol Salvo, the HELPP Program Director at VA Atlanta Healthcare System, and Dr. Rona Margaret Relova, the FastTrack PGx Results Program Director at VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, both VHA IE 2024 Senior Innovation Fellows, have been awarded the 2024 FORUM IMPACT Women in Leadership Award! Dr. Salvo has made strides in bringing access to podiatry services to rural Veterans while Dr. Relova has worked to expedite lifesaving lab results to improve Veteran health care outcomes. Their tireless commitment to being leaders in health care innovations has earned them this well-deserved recognition.
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From September 9-11, 2024, VISN 10 Innovation Specialists came together at Cincinnati VA Medical Center to reflect on the past year and gear up for what's next. With three new VHA Innovation Network (iNET) sites added in 2024, the team discussed the goal of pushing innovation even further in the coming year. A key part of their strategy is strengthening their collaboration with VHA Innovation Ecosystem—the driving force behind mission-driven health care solutions that aim to exceed expectations and build trust with Veterans.
One of the team's goals is to make innovation more accessible across VA. To do this, they're planning to introduce a “curbside consults” model, where Innovation Specialists meet staff where they are to showcase visual examples of solutions that could benefit them. Another focus is boosting engagement with key employees such as nurses, using new ways to educate and involve them in innovation efforts.
The team is also set on improving the VISN 10 innovation process itself. They’re working on creating a more structured application process, complete with a new project charter, and ramping up their iNET programming with more personalized check-ins for innovators. Building strong partnerships between fellow VISN 10 sites not currently a part of iNET is also top of mind, as they know collaboration is crucial to making their initiatives work.
As Dr. Lindsay Riegler, Director of the VA's Digital and Remote Health Center for Innovation in VISN 10, put it: “In VISN 10, we understand the changing fiscal environment and strongly believe we can do more, together. We are focusing on internal collaborations across IE and refining our processes, while building a foundation that will allow us to continue to transform health care.
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