VHA is improving the lives of disabled veterans with digital devices. Learn more about the technology, innovation and more in this episode of the Tango Alpha Lima podcast.
Traditional prosthetic care can be labor and time-intensive, difficult to scale to all Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities, and challenging for some veterans to access. However, the Veterans Health Administration’s Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning is making progress in digital prosthetics, which has the potential to deliver prosthetic devices to veterans sooner, increase productivity, and improve fit and comfort.
In this episode of The American Legion Tango Alpha Lima podcast, two members of VHA’s team discuss the advances in digital prosthetics. Dr. Beth Ripley is the Deputy Chief Innovation Officer, and Alex Berardo-Cates is a product development engineer.
Ripley, who oversees a diverse portfolio of innovation projects across VHA, collaborates across multiple disciplines and has a passion for innovation and human-centered design. Berardo-Cates leads an effort to develop digital manufacturing capabilities for VA certified prosthetists and orthotists.
The Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning oversees the product development, workflow process and more. That covers technological advances such as AI (Artificial Intelligence), drones and others.
Digital creations that have improved the lives of disabled veterans include devices to play video games, feed themselves, apply makeup and participate in sports like pickleball and golf.
“We have a very clear mission to take care of veterans with first-class care,” Ripley said. “That requires innovation and rethinking how we do things continuously to make sure we get better. We focus on what are the toughest problems in the organization, how do we solve them and how do we get to ‘yes.’”
Key takeaways:
• Digital prosthetic efficiency: VA uses 3D printers to model and create prosthetics, said Berardo-Cates, who leads the effort. “There are opportunities for time and efficiency improvements,” he said. “This is what we are trying to get to the bottom of. Timeliness is important. The timing (of delivering the prosthetic) matters a lot.”
• Comfort and fit: “The exciting thing VA is trying to do here is determine what is that tool that we can put into the toolkit to address comfort and fit, to address abandonment and to address variability in care,” Ripley said. “We’re trying to create this standardized workflow that involved the veteran from the front end.”
• Getting veterans comfortable with the process: “The relationship between an amputee and a prosthetist is sacred,” Berardo-Cates said. “It takes years to develop. And it is critical to understanding what the needs are of the individual, how the device will be used.”
• How to get access: Simply go to your local VA and request the assisted device, or what you want, to drive, pursue a hobby or perform some other function. “We want any veteran to walk into any door at any VA anywhere and have access to this technology,” Ripley said. “And the digital technology lets us do that.”
Also in this episode Stacy Pearsall, Adam Marr and Joe Worley chat about:
• The Pentagon is revamping MREs.
• Chuck Yeager’s historic supersonic flight 78 years ago today.
• A Vietnam veteran who went back to school and recently graduated.
You can also check out the more than 300 Tango Alpha Lima podcasts available in both audio and video formats here. You can also download episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other major podcast-hosting sites. The video version is available at the Legion’s YouTube channel.
- Tango Alpha Lima