Putting employee innovative products in the hands of Veterans

VA’s iNET has launched a new way to put employee-developed innovative products into the hands of Veterans, via the VA Intrapreneurial Product Marketplace (VAIPM).

The VHA Innovators Network (iNET) is a national community which empowers VA employees to engage in shared learning and design solutions for the health care challenges Veterans face every day. Each year, more frontline employees are engaging and innovating with iNET. The result is more employees developing solutions, including innovative patented healthcare products.

Veteran first care

The VAIPM features frontline VA employee innovators or “intrapreneurs” and the products they have designed and developed for Veterans. Individuals can search the marketplace for products, learn more about the intrapreneur, the product audience and purchasing information.

“These innovations not only turn a well-deserved spotlight towards the creativity and passion of VA frontline innovators, but they also herald the beginning of a new era of VA innovation,” said Allison Amrhein, VA Innovators Network director. “Every health care system throughout the country can purchase these products.”​

Products were either designed and developed by VA frontline employees via the VHA Innovators Network Spark-Seed-Spread Innovation Investment and Accelerator Program or co-designed by frontline employees and external collaborators via iNET’s Greenhouse Initiative.

Improving the Veteran experience

Seven products are currently featured on the marketplace and are sorted by the intended audience. Veteran-use products are intended for use by a Veteran within a VA facility or in their own home. Facility-use products are intended for use by Veterans or VA staff within a VA facility.

Many of the products have already seen success in helping Veterans. For home-use, the Prosthetic Sock Management Tool (PSMT) helps individuals learn how to best use prosthetic socks to care for their residual limbs.

Many prosthesis users wear prosthetic socks to manage volume fluctuation of their residual limb; improper usage of prosthetic socks can lead to painful wounds. This two-part tool helps clinicians visually demonstrate the proper way to use prosthetic socks and better manage the health of residual limbs.

Other products on the Marketplace include DropEase, a device that provides a stable platform for self-administering eyedrops, complete with a handle that is easy to squeeze with weak or shaky hands. The device allows users to set a metered dosage to get the proper amount of medication every time.

Some products are developed in conjunction with external partners like Wareologie Portable Parallel Bars, which fold in minutes, transport on wheels and have a sturdy 600 lb. weight capacity. The portable parallel bars are compact enough to maneuver into small spaces while providing ample area for the patient to stand, balance, practice weight-bearing and take those first recovery steps.

Eight more products are currently being reviewed before becoming available for purchase on the marketplace.

VA’s Office of Tech Transfer negotiates agreements between the vendors and intrapreneur facilities regarding cost and fees. When products are purchased, a portion goes to the employee who designed the product up to a certain amount determined by VA. The rest of the money not sent to the vendor goes to the research center at the VA facility where the employee works to continue researching and improving Veteran care.

VAIPM is now live, and you can visit the website and browse available products here.

Want to learn more about innovation at VA? Visit our website, scan Diffusion Marketplace, subscribe to our weekly newsletter, and explore VA Pathfinder to learn more about our opportunities.

Are you a Veteran receiving VA care? Check out the 2023 VHA State of Innovation Report here to learn about innovative products and services that may be available to you.