VA employees have a long history of collaborating to innovate new solutions to improve Veteran care and the Veteran care experience. These employees are dedicated to both their work and to improving Veterans’ lives.
The 2024 VHA Innovation Experience (iEX) celebrated the commitment and creativity of VA teams and individuals dedicated to advancing care for Veterans. At iEX, held in October, several VA employees and collaborators were recognized for their work.
VA Innovators Network Awards
The Innovators Network (iNET) is a community of VA employees striving to create impactful and lasting innovations to make the everyday lives of Veterans better. At iEX, iNET celebrated three VA employees whose passion and dedication to Veterans, caregivers and VA employees serves to inspire others.
The Innovation Specialist of the Year Award went to Jamie Key from Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center. An iNET innovation specialist is a program leader who serves as a mentor, coach and guide to employees with a desire to innovate. Key has been integral in growing innovation at her site by helping to improve the Greenhouse Program, which facilitates collaborations between VA and external innovators.
The Investee of the Year is selected for their passion and dedication to learning the process of innovation and embodying it with their dedication to solving problems on the frontline. Aide Zamora, from Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System, has embodied this through her time in the Spark-Seed-Spread Investment and Accelerator program, iNET’s program for exploring problems and designing inclusive solutions.
The Tanked Award is a celebration of perseverance and ability to pivot. Daniella Estes from Central Arkansas VA Healthcare System has been instrumental in advancing infection prevention strategies, focusing on proper personal protective equipment use and isolation precautions to reduce health care-associated infections in hospitals.
Garry J. Augustine Veterans Service Organization Award
The inaugural Garry J. Augustine VSO Collaboration Award was created to honor collaborations between VA and VSOs that enhance care, access and services for Veterans. This award emphasizes the importance of collaboration in addressing Veterans’ unique needs.
This year’s award recognized VA’s Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE) team along with their Disabled American Veterans (DAV) collaborators for their work on the Volunteer Transportation Network (VTN).
During the pandemic, VTN faced unprecedented challenges due to safety protocols, leading many facilities to reduce routes and limit passenger capacity. The CDCE team and DAV worked together to introduce risk mitigation strategies and recruit additional volunteer drivers, ensuring the network could continue operating.
Dr. Robert L. Jesse Award for Excellence in Innovation
The Dr. Robert L. Jesse Award for Excellence in Innovation celebrates the legacy of Jesse, a VA leader committed to enhancing health care quality and access for Veterans. The award honors individuals and teams who develop creative solutions to improve care 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. As director of improvement and innovation in VA’s Office of Primary Care, 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 well-being.
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.
Want to learn more about innovation at VA? Visit our website, read the 2024 State of Innovation report, check out Diffusion Marketplace, subscribe to our weekly newsletter, and explore VA Pathfinder to learn more about our opportunities.
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