Veterans Health Make-a-thon 2024: Driving Innovation to Transform Veteran Care
The Veterans Health Make-a-thon 2024 hosted at James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital in collaboration with Microsoft, VHA Innovation Ecosystem, and VA’s Office of Information and Technology, highlighted the transformative impact of public-private efforts in advancing Veteran health care.
Led by Dr. Indra Sandal, Chief Innovation Officer at James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, the Tampa event focused on improving access to care, preventing Veteran suicide, and streamlining hiring processes within VA.
Othman O’Malley, Inpatient Physical Therapist at VA Memphis Healthcare System commented, “What’s happening here is unique to any other program. There’s physical product being built. There are working AI models that didn’t exist two or three days ago.”
16 teams advanced to the Make-a-thon Bootcamp, which concluded on December 12, 2024. Sixty makers joined forces with over 50 mentors, judges, and panelists—spanning academia, private industry, and VA leadership. Jeff Arthur, a Digital Advisor at Microsoft, underscored the shared purpose: “I can’t think of a better mission than Veteran care. They deserve the best.”
Six teams now proceed to VA’s Veterans Health Accelerator, a six-month program launching in January 2025. Their solutions harness AI and data-driven strategies to tackle critical challenges like suicide prevention and more efficient scheduling. By June 2025, participating teams will present prototypes ready for potential nationwide implementation.
Explore highlights from the event in the Veterans Health Make-a-thon Flickr album.