What role does innovation play in the federal government, especially when it comes to healthcare? On this episode of Innovation Storytellers Show, we take a deep dive into the innovation happening at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) with Allison Amrhein, Director of the VHA Innovators Network.
Allison brings us behind the scenes, sharing how the VA empowers frontline employees and veterans to identify problems and collaborate on solutions that impact real lives. It’s not about fancy tech—it’s about solving everyday challenges. From building a sense of community among employees to fostering a culture of human-centered design, the VA is showing how innovation can happen anywhere, even in the most traditional environments.
During our conversation, Allison explains how the VA focuses on identifying problems before jumping to solutions—a mindset that has transformed how healthcare providers and veterans innovate together. We also explore the VA’s Greenhouse Initiative, a program that connects industry and entrepreneurs with the VA to shape products not yet on the market. Amrhein
Name: Allison Amrhein
Title: Director of the VHA Innovators Network
Company: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Allison Amrhein leads the Veterans Health Administration Innovators Network (aka iNET). VA is the largest healthcare system in the country and iNET is the boots-on-the-ground innovation empowerment program. She leads a team of incredible Innovation Specialists and employee innovators from VA medical centers across the country on their journey to operationalize innovation and become maverick thinking intrapreneurs.
