Face of InnoVAtion: Misoor Goueli

Face of InnoVAtion is a regular series from the VHA Innovation Ecosystem (VHA IE) focusing on VA employees who are working to change and save Veteran lives through innovation. This month meet Misoor Goueli, MD, MBA, staff physician at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center (CVAMC) and medical director of the CVAMC Simulation Lab.

VHA Innovation Ecosystem (VHA IE’s) Spark-Seed-Spread Innovation Investment Program (Spark-Seed-Spread Program) is helping VA employees like Dr. Misoor Goueli by supporting and spreading their innovative solutions throughout VA to improve health care experiences for Veterans. A practicing hospitalist and medical director of the Simulation Lab at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center (CVAMC), Goueli first gravitated towards VA during his internal medicine residency at the University of Minnesota.

“It is the commitment to both staff and Veterans that caused me to want to build my professional career in VA,” expressed Goueli.

An active participant in the VHA Innovators Network (iNET), Goueli was drawn to the Spark-Seed-Spread Program because it helps identify and accelerate employee-inspired innovations at the same time, improving Veteran health care experiences in an efficient and effective way.

“Creating opportunities for VHA employees to turn ideas into reality is one piece of what iNET does best,” said Goueli. “The promise to grow as a person through the program really spoke to my sense of curiosity and desire to be the most well-rounded physician I can be.”

iNET identifies deeply committed employees like Goueli via the Spark-Seed-Spread Program and trains them to think differently about design as they develop and implement their innovative solutions. In recent years, due to a lack of training opportunities, physicians have experienced a reduction in bedside procedure skills. In response, Goueli developed the MOBILE (Mobile Optimization for Brief Integrative Learning Experiences) Simulation Cart, a self-contained, portable clinical skills practice station to reverse this trend by reducing barriers to physician skill acquisition.

After Goueli created a 3D-printed model of the MOBILE Simulation Cart and received feedback from national experts, he collaborated with designers to create an augmented reality model that is easier and quicker to both improve and disseminate. Goueli and his team submitted this innovation to the VA Technology Transfer Office for patent review and approval.

As an Investee navigating COVID-19, Goueli pushed forward with his solutions and learning despite facing adversity. “I am so grateful for all the time and energy that the Innovation team has put into me. With COVID-19, it would have been easy to walk away from innovations that I truly believe can make a difference in the lives of our patients. The Spark-Seed-Spread folks have really helped me focus on what is important,” said Goueli.

When asked about the importance of his work, Goueli described the rewarding aspect of getting to help Veteran patients: “My favorite thing about working at VA is the reaction of patients once they get our world class care. The number of times that patients, and their families, have stopped me to voice their pleasure is innumerable. It is in these moments that I get to reflect on the care that we provide.”