Frontline employees create innovative solutions

Two frontline driven employee innovative projects at Gulf Coast VA have recently been selected as FY25 VHA Innovators Network (iNET) Spark-Seed-Spread Investments.

Over 350 applicants applied to the FY25 iNET Spark-Seed-Spread Investment Program this year. The applications are carefully chosen by facility and national leadership within the VHA Innovators Network for their potential to spark a new innovative idea, assist in the development of new ideas and to spread positive impact nationwide throughout VA.

Applications chosen for new ideas

Suicide Prevention Coordinator Dawn Mucha-Johnson and Center for Development and Civic Engagement Coordinator Adelina Sowell, pictured above, are partnering to collaborate on the 360 degrees of Hope project. This project was selected as a FY25 Seed Investment. 360 degrees of Hope is geared to target Veterans with High Risk for suicide.

Innovation merges a physical Hope Box, the virtual app and a virtual reality headset, to create 360 degrees of care, wrapping around the Veteran, to ultimately prevent Veteran suicide in a way never seen before. Each tool used in the 360 degrees kits are proven evidenced-based tools to decrease stress prior to Veteran engaging in self-harm. The kits will also include a safety plan and items identified to decrease stress and provide self-care.

Robin Armstrong’s Walk-in Clinic Management Project was also selected as a FY25 Spark Investment Project. As a registered nurse, he emphasizes and understands the frustration that a Veteran faces when trying to find answers to health care questions.

Goal to get questions answered

Armstrong has seen Veterans show up at a clinic, asking a question and having to wait for a long period of time for a provider or staff to answer their question as a result of priority clinic flow and duties. His goal is to solve this daily communication problem to alleviate frustration and improve Veteran access.  

Gulf Coast VA’s Innovation Team, Elizabeth Williams and Kristy Antonucci, will be supporting and mentoring the investees in further developing their innovative solutions. Each year, throughout the iNET Spark-Seed-Spread Investment cycle, investees will receive funding, mentorship, training and vast opportunities to collaborate and network with subject matter experts and stakeholders across the VHA and industry.

“Watching dedicated employees find innovative ways to solve problems within the walls of our facility is so rewarding. After they solve the problems locally, these solutions can be spread throughout VA which is an incredible opportunity,” said Innovation Specialist Kristy Antonucci. “Supporting these investees during their journey to improve the care of our Veterans is really what it’s all about. I’m looking forward to seeing what our change-makers accomplish this year.”

Gulf Coast VA has been a part of the VHA Innovators Network (iNET) since 2015, when the national program was launched. Currently, iNET is a community of 35 VA medical centers nationwide with five additional new sites joining the network in this fiscal year.  

iNET empowers front-line employees to design innovative solutions that impact the future of health care.

The iNET Spark-Seed-Spread Investment Program transforms the mindset of employees to drive and support them in identifying and solving problems through training and accelerated operationalized innovation.

“Employees have a safe place to be inspired and engaged to make a change to improve the health care experience for not only our Veterans but also the families, caregivers and their fellow employees,” said Innovation Specialist Elizabeth Williams.  

This year was record-breaking for the iNET Spark-Seed-Spread Investment Program. Out of the 358 applicants that applied to the competitive national program, only 200 applications were selected.

Learn more about the VHA Innovators Network and the Spark-Seed-Spread Investment program.