Diffusion Academy advances promising practices for third year

VA Innovation Ecosystem’s (VHA IE) Diffusion of Excellence launched in 2015 to discover, support and spread innovative practices throughout VA. The catalyst for this goal is providing more frontline employees with knowledge and experience to propel their practices. From this challenge, the VHA Diffusion Academy was born.

Diffusion academy

VHA Diffusion Academy is a three-day training that provides 10 teams with tools and resources needed to sustain and scale their practices over the next 2-3 years. Diffusion of Excellence helps these frontline employees build a business case with a focus on resourcing, stakeholders and presenting metrics. This year’s event included 27 innovators and nearly 50 attendees.

“I was so grateful for the opportunity to work with Diffusion Academy’s third cohort of innovators. Each team brought impressive skillsets with an eagerness to progress and sustain their projects. These innovations will undoubtedly have positive implications on Veterans, families, caregivers, and employees across the country.”

Blaine Fitzgerald, diffusion specialist, Diffusion of Excellence

Academy process

The academy is uniquely designed to deliver continued engagement with teams through workshops and community mentorship. The curriculum focuses on specific knowledge and project management gaps.

From March to April, teams developed their business case, refined their visions, and formed stakeholder coalitions. The main three-day event took place in April to identify required resources, report metrics to scale, and communicate across VHA channels. Finally, the teams pitched their innovative practices and participated in a Diffusion Academy Graduation in May.

2022 innovation teams

This year’s innovations are featured on Diffusion Marketplace (va.gov) through these links:

• eScreening:  A web-based tool allowing Veterans to complete clinical screenings remotely at their convenience.
• Building and Sustaining Effective Veteran and Family Advisory Councils: A two-day interactive workshop and toolkit to educate staff on how to engage Veterans and family members in project design and execution.

Teaching the Teacher (TTT): A discussion-based series to augment teaching quality, efficiency and confidence for VA clinician educators.

• VA Lactation Program: Offering lactation services through VA nation-wide, enhancing timely services and providing a greater choice for Veterans.
• The Final Salute/Final Mile Program: Providing a Motorcycle Escort for unclaimed Veterans to Florida national cemeteries in Honor of the fallen and their service.
• The MoRe Concept: A clinical research participant recruitment strategy that integrates the use of mobile technology and improves Veteran access to research study opportunities.
• VA Diversity & Inclusion Advocate Program (VADIAP): Nominated Advocates assist leadership in improving communication, resolving conflict at the lowest levels and promoting a work culture of inclusion, diversity, equity and access.
• Virtual Integrated PCMHI (VIP) Hub: A virtual Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) program for facilities struggling with staffing and implementation at rural and smaller Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs).
• Use of Virtual Reality as a Wellness Modality for Veterans on the Mental Health Unit: Improving the mood for Veterans who are admitted to the inpatient mental health unit (MHU) through virtual reality (VR) headsets.
• Prevent Reactivation of Latent Infection on Immunotherapy: Improving safe prescription of DMARD medications.

Want to get involved?

Want to support VHA IE’s innovation revolution? Visit our website to learn about opportunities to become involved in innovation at VA.