The Veterans Health Make-a-thon 2024 hosted at James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital in collaboration with Microsoft, VHA Innovation Ecosystem, and VA’s Office of Information and Technology, highlighted the transformative impact of public-private efforts in advancing Veteran health care. Led by Dr. Indra Sandal, Chief Innovation Officer at James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, the Tampa event focused on improving access to care, preventing Veteran suicide, and streamlining hiring processes within VA.
Othman O’Malley, Inpatient Physical Therapist at VA Memphis Healthcare System commented, “What’s happening here is unique to any other program. There’s physical product being built. There are working AI models that didn’t exist two or three days ago.”
16 teams advanced to the Make-a-thon Bootcamp, which concluded on December 12, 2024. Sixty makers joined forces with over 50 mentors, judges, and panelists—spanning academia, private industry, and VA leadership. Jeff Arthur, a Digital Advisor at Microsoft, underscored the shared purpose: “I can’t think of a better mission than Veteran care. They deserve the best.”
Six teams now proceed to VA’s Veterans Health Accelerator, a six-month program launching in January 2025. Their solutions harness AI and data-driven strategies to tackle critical challenges like suicide prevention and more efficient scheduling. By June 2025, participating teams will present prototypes ready for potential nationwide implementation.
Explore highlights from the event in the Veterans Health Make-a-thon Flickr album.
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 Each year at iEX, employee innovators are celebrated and recognized for their contributions to improving Veteran health care through collaborations, team efforts, and individual accomplishments. These achievements are celebrated at the iEX Awards Ceremony. Among the awards presented, two awards recognized VA teams and individuals who have made significant strides in Veteran care through groundbreaking projects and meaningful collaborations: the Garry J. Augustine Veterans Service Organization Collaboration (VSO) Award and the Dr. Robert L. Jesse Award for Excellence in Innovation.
The inaugural Garry J. Augustine VSO Collaboration Award was created to honor collaborations between VA and VSOs that enhances care, access, and services for Veterans. This year’s award recognized the VA’s Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE) Team, composed of Dr. Sabrina Clark, Dr. Tammy Finney, Wesley Walls, Nathan Witt, and Mitra Gobin-Wade, along with Disabled American Veterans (DAV) collaborators for their work on the Volunteer Transportation Network (VTN). This service provides free, essential transportation to help Veterans access VA care, powered by DAV volunteer drivers.
Established in 2019, the Dr. Robert L. Jesse Award for Excellence in Innovation celebrates the legacy of Dr. Jesse, a VA leader committed to enhancing health care quality and access for Veterans. This year’s awards highlighted winners in Clinical Excellence, Non-Clinical Excellence, and Team Excellence.
The recipient of the Clinical Excellence Award was Dr. Scott Pawlikowski, Director of Improvement and Innovation in VA’s Office of Primary Care, Dr. Pawlikowski spearheaded the use of the Doximity Dialer mobile app, which allows VA staff to connect with Veterans securely from remote settings. Natalie Borges, from Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, was the recipient of the Non-Clinical Excellence Award. Borges developed Virtual Creative Arts Workshops for caregivers, offering them an outlet to relieve stress and improve mental well-being. Lastly, the Team Excellence Award honored the PRIDE in All Who Served team. This program, established at Hampton VA Medical Center in 2016, provides health promotion and support to LGBTQIA+ Veterans.
You can read more on each of the award winners in a recent VA Insider article or watch the entire awards ceremony on YouTube.
Angeal Gant-Curtis, Deputy Chief Technology Officer for Innovations and Emerging Technologies and Director of the VA Innovation Unit, spoke to the more than 700 attendees at this year’s VHA Innovation Experience (iEX) 2024 in Chicago on how the Innovation Unit encourages an innovative, and nurturing culture by partnering with frontline staff, all in the name of improving Veteran health care.
As the Director of the VA Innovation Unit, Gant-Curtis shared with attendees the importance of partnerships with frontline staff and how those in leadership positions, such as herself, can serve as advocates for their ideas. “I’m the voice for you when you’re not in the room, and I’m the voice for your when you’re not at the table,” she shared during her iEX Talk, titled “Innovating Together: Partnering with Frontline Staff for Better Health Care.”
iEX, the flagship conference for VHA's Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning (OHIL), featured opportunities to experience how VA innovation, collaboration, and technology are changing and saving Veteran lives.
Gant-Curtis finished her talk by letting attendees know she and the Unit could serve as their advocates. “I know what it feels like to be on the frontline. So know that you have a friend and that you can reach me anytime. I welcome you to take advantage of that as we continue to do great work with innovations and continue to move the needle not just for Veterans but for you as well.”
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