The Innovators Network (iNET) launched in 2015 to build and empower a community of VHA employees to actively move the VA forward using innovation to better serve Veterans and their families. iNET takes a ground up approach by using the first hand knowledge of front line employees to identify some of VA’s greatest challenges and to develop both Veteran and employee centric solutions.
“To me, innovation can be defined by the two words novel and disruptive. Novel because it’s something new entirely or newly applied to the world of healthcare. Disruptive because it is not continuing with or improving on the status quo but changing the paradigm altogether,” said NMVAHCS Innovation Specialist, Ben Salatin.
The NMVAHCS is one of the 33 network member hospitals, which means you have access to an on site Innovation Specialist to help you work through the process of framing a problem you see and pilot testing possible solutions. Front line employees can design and develop innovative solutions for Veterans and employees better than anyone.
One of the current innovation projects being worked on here at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical center includes the design and creation of wall socket protectors. It was noticed on the SCI unit beds at times were being pushed too close to the wall, accidently bending power plugs and damaging the sockets. Engineering estimated repair of an outlet and power cord to be $100 minimum and research found no current generic solutions addressing this problem.