Congrats Promising Practices!
Season Update: A swell of VHA innovators applied for the chance to spread their practice across the VHA seas! Application season is now closed, and the winning Promising Practices are here.
Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's competition. Swim down to the document below to view the list of winning Promising Practices and facility Shark Bids. Did you miss jumping aboard the competition this year? VHA Shark Tank applications re-open spring 2024. Applicants may contact the VA Diffusion Support Team with any questions.
VHA Shark Tank Competition at iEX
This year’s competition was held during VHA Innovation Experience (iEX) on November 1, 2023. Finalists competed for the chance to become one of the 10 Promising Practice winners who will replicate their innovations at a new VA facility. This year’s Pitch of the Day winner was Pap Hub and Spoke Program from VA Minneapolis Health Care System. Congratulations to all finalists, Promising Practices, and the Pitch of the Day winner! If you were unable to attend in person or virtually, check back for a recording!
2023 VHA Shark Tank Finalists
ELEGANT-DM2
Breaking barriers to improve the care for Veterans with Diabetes.
From Resistance to Resilience - A Veteran's Renewal with Ketamine
“Ketamine therapy is a NEW HOPE to Veterans that had NO HOPE.”
Leveraging Alteryx Designer Against VA Health Connect Data
Improving Veterans Experience by quickly building beneficial tools capable of increasing efficiency and effectiveness at any level.
Military Environmental Exposure Non-Registry Template
New template to address non-registry military toxic exposure concerns
One View - Streamlining Healthcare Operations with a Unified Dashboard for Multi-Facility View Alerts
Quickly see view alerts from all sites of patient care in one spot.
Pap Hub and Spoke Program
Screening participation and follow-up will reduce cervical cancer.
What is VHA Shark Tank?
VHA’s Shark Tank Competition identifies frontline employee innovations that promote improved experiences for Veterans, employees, caregivers, and VHA community. The competition spotlights passionate employees who are addressing VA health care priorities.
Season Highlights
This season, Diffusion received over 350 applications from VA staff across program offices and all 18 Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs). Applicants made a huge SPLASH this year with a 24% increase in applications from the 2022 competition.
Learn More on C20
On September 28, 2023, expert panelists discussed VHA Shark Tank’s profound impact on Veteran health care.
View the episode recording here. Please note, this link is only accessible to VA employees.
2023 VHA Shark Tank Highlighted Priorities
Nominated practices addressed one or more of the below 2023 VHA Shark Tank Highlighted Priorities, which align with the Under Secretary for Health’s priorities.
Hire faster and more competitively
- Onboarding employees faster
- Accelerating HR Specialist training and readiness (HR STAR)
- Investing in VA employees
Connect Veterans to the soonest and best care
- Access initiatives
- Care coordination
- Referral Coordination Initiative (RCI)
Serve Veterans with military environmental exposure
- Veterans’ exposure resources
- Treating Veterans’ whole health
- PACT Act
Accelerate VA’s journey to a High Reliability Organization
- Ensuring Veteran access
- Enhancing Veteran care
- Recognizing employee commitment to HRO
Support Veterans’ whole health, their caregivers, and survivors
- The Homeless Programs Office (HPO)
- Veterans Canteen Service (VCS)
- The Whole Health approach to Long COVID
Prevent Veteran suicide
- Enhancing Veteran access
- Enhancing Veteran care
- Making progress
2023 VHA Shark Tank Timeline
Facility Communication Toolkit
Facility leaders are encouraged to promote the announcement of this year’s VHA Shark Tank Competition Promising Practices at their facilities. Download the new toolkit through the SharePoint link here to access customizable promotional materials. Please note, this link is only accessible to VA employees and the document must be open in the desktop version of Microsoft Word to access embedded content.