At VA medical centers nationwide, the commitment to cutting-edge innovation is more robust than ever before. Thanks to the members of our team who aren’t content to just maintain the status quo, we are finding new ways to deliver on our mission of providing the best care to Veterans.
Reaching new heights in innovation
In our PSA, “New Heights,” we showcase VA Immersive technology, an innovative virtual reality tool that allows our medical teams to support Veterans with new and exciting treatment programs. In the video, we see how this technology has allowed a Veteran to feel strong and supported.
“We believe immersive technology is defining a new reality in Veteran health care, and we’re excited to see growth and expansion of a clinical tool that Veterans and VA staff continue to request,” said Dr. Anne Lord Bailey, the immersive technology lead for our Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning (OHIL).
By investing in these technologies, VA not only provides better care, but better prospects for caregivers to engage in cutting-edge breakthroughs. However, none of this would be possible without the people throughout VA who see problems and work to create solutions.
Innovations like VA Immersive come from employees who are dedicated to their work and resilient in the face of adversity, ultimately building treatments that exceed expectations and enable better Veteran care.
VA empowers members of our team to tackle these problems, because we recognize solutions can come from anywhere. Not only are we recruiting those who offer the best Veteran health care experience every day, we’re invested in finding people who want to take that experience to the next level.
A proud history of innovation
Innovators have long had a home at VA. Our embrace of new programs and technologies is often the channel for these treatments and tools to be introduced, federally approved, and brought to clinical environments around the country.
“Some people might not think of the word ‘innovation’ when they think of VA,” said Russ Peal, the director of our Workforce Recruitment & Retention Service, “but did you know that some of America’s most significant medical breakthroughs were right within our walls?”
For example:
- VA implanted the first clinically successful pacemaker.
- VA pioneered the concepts that led to the development of the CAT scan.
- VA doctors were the first to ever perform a liver transplant.
In turn, our researchers have been the recipients of multiple Nobel prizes, and our commitment to serving Veterans has resulted in significant advancements in prosthetics and wheelchair designs, offering improvements in day-to-day life for hundreds of thousands.
Now, as we showcase the VA Immersive program and the support it provides, we’re seeing just how much of an impact these innovations have on Veterans—helping them manage pain, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and more.
“We’ve got a lot going on at VA,” said Peal, “and we’re excited about where this virtual journey takes us.”
Play a role in the next great innovation
At VA, change starts with a focus on the everyday health needs and concerns of the more than 9 million Veterans we serve. In consultation with national and regional VA clinical leaders, we identify challenges, and set to work finding solutions that will improve Veterans’ lives through discovery and innovation.
Then, now, and in the future, the work we do advances the diagnosis and treatment of disease and disability. Your innovations can play a vital role in the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective care for the nation’s Veterans—and perhaps even the nation as a whole.
If you have a passion for researching solutions with a real-world impact on the lives of others, you will fit right in on our team.
Work at VA
VA has a long history of innovation, and you can be the one to make the next great contribution to patient care as part of our team.
- WATCH our “New Heights” PSA.
- LEARN more about innovation at VA.
- DISCOVER the benefits of a career at VA.
- EXPLORE more on our website.
