U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Talk to the Veterans Crisis Line now
Skip to main content

Diffusion of Excellence

The Diffusion of Excellence Initiative helps to identify and disseminate clinical and administrative best practices through a learning environment that empowers its top performers to apply their innovative ideas throughout the system. All practices featured on this page are winners of the national VHA Shark Tank Competition.

Mobile Prosthetic and Orthotic Care (MoPOC)

Expanding access to world-class VA Orthotic & Prosthetic clinical services

Created by VISN-20

My Life, My Story (MLMS)

Listening to Veterans. Honoring their stories.

Created by the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans' Hospital (Madison)

National Center for Lung Cancer Screening (NCLCS)

Reducing lung cancer deaths

Created by the Portland VA Medical Center (Portland, Oregon), San Francisco VA Medical Center, Charleston VA Clinic (North Charleston City Hall Lane), Durham VA Medical Center, Cincinnati VA Medical Center (Cincinnati, Ohio), Brooklyn VA Medical Center, Minneapolis VA Medical Center (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Kettles VA Medical Center (Ann Arbor)

Pain University (Pain U)

Know Pain, Know Gain

Created by the Tomah VA Medical Center

Parenting and Problem Solving Group for Veterans & Their Families

Program for Veteran’s and their families to help parents develop/improve positive communication between themselves and their children, decrease negative or undesirable behaviors and to teach life skills to their children in the areas of problem solving, emotional regulation and frustration tolerance.

Created by the Providence VA Medical Center

Perinatal Reproductive Education Planning and Resources (PREPARe)

A wrap-around, multi-disciplinary approach to Veteran Perinatal Care.

Created by the Orlando VA Medical Center

Perioperative Nurse Residency Program

All residents successfully transition to independent surgical OR nursing

Created by the Sacramento VA Medical Center

Physical Therapy Embedded Within PACT

Embedding PT in PACT improves access to care, function, and Veteran satisfaction by providing immediate care and reduces community care and cost.

Created by the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital (Tampa, Florida)

Preventing Contextual Errors Program

Taking into account each Veteran’s unique circumstances to plan effective care

Created by the Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Chicago, Illinois)

PRIDE In All Who Served

Improving Care for LGBTQIA+ Veterans through a Health Promotion Group

Created by the Hampton VA Medical Center

Reducing Hospital Admissions and Amputation Prevention: Remote Temperature Monitoring

Eliminating amputation, reducing ER visits and hospital admissions

Created by the Cincinnati VA Medical Center (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Sexual Health and Fertility in SCI: An Interdisciplinary Approach

Let's talk about sex! Assessment of sexual health concerns in spinal cord injury (SCI) and education on sexual health and intimacy in SCI.

Created by the St. Louis VA Medical Center-Jefferson Barracks (St. Louis Jefferson Barracks)