The Roundup March 2020 | Page 11

Getting to know the VA Innovators Network at the NMVAHCS

Getting to know the VA Innovators Network at the NMVAHCS

The goals of iNET are to:

Serve as a creative space for VA employees to test new ideas and join forces with stakeholders across the Veteran community to improve the way VA serves Veterans

Encourage and invest in employees who wish to recognize and address the system’s greatest challenges

Provide employees with the training and resources to bring their innovative ideas to life

iNet as part of the larger VHA Innovation Ecosystem that serves as the catalyst for enabling the discovery and spread of mission driven health care innovation to advance care delivery that exceeds expectations, restores hope and builds trust within the Veteran community.

“The solution that evolved was a bumper that surrounds the electrical socket so the bed impacts into that instead of the plug,” said Salatin. “Using the hospital’s 3D printer, several designs were prototyped, and the final design is being tested to see if it will indeed reduce damaged outlets and plugs over time. If successful, then this design could be applied to other locations within the hospital and beyond.”

Starting this month, iNET will begin highlighting a VA Innovator each month. To kick things off, meet VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System’s Environmental Management Services Chief, Larry Hillson who will tell you about his Housekeeping Cart Sweeper Attachment project. You can see a video of it HERE.

By Ron Bassford, Public Affairs Specialist