Prosthetics for Female Veterans

The first Department of Veterans Affairs Innovation Creation Series is in full swing, propelling new ideas toward the development of prosthetics and assistive technologies to better serve our Veterans since the May 15 launch in Palo Alto. Along with our efforts to hire thousands of new physicians, therapists, and prosthetists, we are working with designers, engineers, scientists, and problem-solvers across the Nation to generate advanced solutions for the challenges our Veterans must face daily.

Dan Horkey, founder of Prosthetic Ink (himself an amputee), has joined forces with Department of Veterans Affairs on an initiative that adds flair to function, particularly for amputee female Veterans. Hosted by The Girls’ Lounge, a women’s networking group, the exhibit highlights devices that address issues like prosthetic fit for petite frames, makeup application, and adaptive prosthetics for pregnancy. Also, Veterans can customize the prosthetics to express their personal style, aiming to address the psychological and social adjustments that are more pronounced for female Veterans than their male counterparts.

This is one of many trailblazing ideas emerging from our community of creators during this series. On July 28-29, at the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center in Richmond, VA, design submissions will be showcased to demonstrate how they may improve the lives of Veterans. After the series has ended, designs will be made available to the public, so that people can continue to fine tune and further advance these innovations. We’re expanding access to groundbreaking care across the Nation with new careers for prosthetists. Our priority is progress.

As Department of Veterans Affairs continues to develop and implement the latest technologies, more health care professionals are needed to deliver the best treatment to our Veterans so that they can reap the benefits. Learn more to find out how you can begin your career at VHA.