“Suzanne Shirley is a problem solver. She began her time with VA in 2010 as a clinical social worker, with a goal to support Veterans in solving some of their most complex challenges. Over the years that goal hasn’t changed – but her impact has. Through her efforts to improve Veteran care, she has become a foundational pillar for the Veterans Health Administration Innovation Ecosystem (VHA IE), helping lead the program office in transforming the way VA engages with both internal and external collaborators to drive and accelerate health care innovation.”
“Shirley is the director of Fellowships & Community Engagement at VHA IE, leading the charge in developing a host of innovative programs that are breaking the boundaries of Veteran health care through partnerships. These internal and external partnerships are delivering cutting-edge, accessible care to Veterans while advancing the future of health care itself – all to ultimately bring transformation to the lives of Veterans and their families, caregivers and communities.”
“’The Innovation Ecosystem strives to transform care delivery in VA,’ said Shirley. ‘We help innovators, both internal and external, navigate the organization to accelerate innovative health care. While our mission in VA is to provide Veterans with best-in-class care, we’re funded through taxpayer dollars, and I believe it’s our responsibility to lead the transformation of health care for all Americans.'”
“Shirley believes that no other health care organization in the country is as well-equipped to achieve this goal because VHA is not only the largest integrated health care system in the U.S., but is, more importantly, driven by mission and not profit…” Read the full article here.
Source: Bringing partnerships and progress to Veteran health care — By Allison Amrhein, May 13, 2021. VAntage Point.
