Creating tech that improves Veteran care

Angela Gant-Curtis has worked with VA since 1986. Her journey began at Atlanta VA, where she served in different roles that allowed her to interact with Veterans and different services in the hospital. Her front-line experience has inspired her to serve as an extension of front-line health care workers in the innovation space.

Today, Gant-Curtis works for the Office of the Chief Technology Officer in the Office of Information and Technology as a project manager and director of the VA Innovation Unit (VAIU).

“Every day I show up looking forward to figuring out how to remove blockers for them so they can get to the tools that will empower them to do their jobs better. There is no question for me that what I do has a direct impact on my VA colleagues and Veterans,” Gant-Curtis said.

The innovation process

Her work is inspired by her drive to look for solutions to solve problems when she sees them. She started what would become VAIU in 2018, and it was formally established in 2022. Gant-Curtis is responsible for providing customers high touch service, helping with deployment, and ensuring there is security and privacy compliance.

Since its inception, VAIU has helped pilot and scale innovative projects, including automated hearing aid adjustments from home, an automated solution to discharge patients, and find a bed for them once they leave the hospital.

A project Gant-Curtis and the VAIU team are currently working on is Data Arch, which is a solution that automates information processes. It will bring in data from third party sources and get that data in front of VA providers. This solution is effective in improving the transfer of information from community services and home care devices that are given to Veterans.

Before Data Arch, Veterans’ data had to be manually copied by a VA employee or when non-VA providers emailed or faxed the Veteran data to their facility for manual uploading into the medical record. Data Arch is also effective in collecting assessments like medical questionnaires from non-VA providers.

“A Veteran was able to use this solution to fill out a questionnaire before his appointment at one VA facility. He had an appointment at another VA facility and he asked, ‘Why don’t you have this solution?’ Our Veterans are now asking for these solutions. That’s how I know what we’re doing is the right thing—if it matters to our employees as well as the Veterans.”

Looking to the future

VA is working to increase collaboration with those who are looking for new technologies. The goal of this transparency is to streamline the process of turning solutions and technologies that are being explored into national solutions in VA.

During her 37-year career in VA, Gant-Curtis’ work has received many awards and recognitions. She was a 2022 Federal 100 Awardee, Dr. Robert L. Jesse Award Recipient and managed the launch of five innovation centers.

Want to become an innovation hero? Visit our website to learn more about opportunities for involvement in innovation at VA.