My Life, My Story: innovative program helps improve quality of Veteran care

At VA, we are constantly striving to implement new, innovative ways to deliver the best care to our patients. One of these initiatives is “My Life, My Story,” a program that shines a light on Veterans’ individual life stories in hopes of honoring their military service as well as yielding important clinical information that might not otherwise be discovered in a single visit.

“My Life, My Story” launched in 2013 at William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. Over 1,500 interviews have been conducted, producing a 1,000-world, first-person narrative for each, and the program has garnered an “overwhelmingly positive” response from Madison VA providers. Their health care teams are in agreement— “My Life, My Story” has made a lasting impact toward improving care, developing effective treatment plans and establishing a better rapport with patients.

VA’s Diffusion of Excellence Initiative is a program that discovers practices put in place locally at VA medical centers and determines if they could be effectively implemented at other VA care locations. Under the banner of this initiative, “My Life, My Story” has been named as a Gold Status Project, identifying it as one of the best in the nation.

With extensive resources, tools and benefits available at VA, innovative thinkers and problem-solvers can help America’s Veterans lead better lives. Are you ready to make a difference? Begin your rewarding career at VA today—apply now.