WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today it received the highest level of distinction within the Gears of Government President’s Award program for three innovations that have greatly improved services for Veterans at VA hospitals across the country.
The award recognized Veterans Health Administration Innovation Ecosystem (VHA IE) staff responsible for curating, funding and expanding in-house innovations, which include practices to de-prescribe unnecessary medicine to Veterans, prevent hospital acquired pneumonia and reduce opioid overdose deaths at VA campuses.
“The VHA IE team has transformed the way VA employees view the culture of innovation in our organization,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “VHA IE truly empowers frontline employees to help improve services for Veterans by investing in the infrastructure necessary to adopt cutting edge solutions in collaboration with academic and industry partners. By providing staff with proper resources to develop their ideas, we are now able to turn those ideas into real, workable concepts.”
Since its reconfiguration in 2018, VHA IE has helped reshape employees’ ability to discover and spread their innovations throughout the VA health care system. To date, VHA IE innovation projects have improved care for more than 1 million Veterans, lowered costs for taxpayers by over $40 million, saved lives from opioid overdoses and advanced care for the entire field of medicine.
VHA IE was selected from over 200 teams and individuals for outstanding mission results, customer service and accountable stewardship.
Learn more about VHA IE.
Reporters and media outlets with questions or comments should contact the Office of Media Relations at vapublicaffairs@va.gov
Veterans with questions about their health care and benefits (including GI Bill). Questions, updates and documents can be submitted online.
Veterans can also use our chatbot to get information about VA benefits and services. The chatbot won’t connect you with a person, but it can show you where to go on VA.gov to find answers to some common questions.
Subscribe today to receive these news releases in your inbox.
More from the Press Room
News Releases
VA processed a record-high 3.11 million disability compensation claims in Fiscal Year 2026, a testament to the Trump Administration’s commitment to ensuring Veterans can more quickly and conveniently access the benefits they’ve earned.
News Releases
VA approved $2.681 billion in VA infrastructure improvement projects in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026.
News Releases
VA launches new pilot program at six VA facilities to help Veterans establish VA.gov accounts faster than ever before, which means speedier access to VA services, care and benefits.
