Innovation has long been a cornerstone of the work we do at VA, from developing the first implantable cardiac pacemaker in 1960 and the first electronic health record in 1970 to being one of the first U.S. health care systems to adopt 5G and test its use cases in 2020.

With the theme of “From Promise to Progress: Evolving Veteran Healthcare,” our annual State of Innovation Report highlights some of the innovative projects we’ve undertaken this year. Through these innovations, we encourage our employees to test assumptions and reinvent care models, allowing us to better reach the diverse population of Veterans we serve.

Curious about what we’ve done? Try this on for size.

• Concerned that many Veterans are experiencing social isolation, which increases the risk of mental health issues, VA Immersive implemented the Peer Social Support pilot. This program provides access to virtual reality (VR) platforms that offer opportunities to cultivate camaraderie and connection. The program also provides training for VA providers who are offering VR headsets to Veterans, focusing on effectively supporting the use of the virtual platform.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, because at VA, we make innovations in health care a daily reality.

Read more about our State of Innovation Report and explore some of the highlights at VA Careers.