The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Veterans Health Administration has recently established a new Digital Health Office (DHO) to oversee its technology-focused components. This move, part of a VHA Central Office optimization effort that began in April 2023, consolidates various offices and programs related to connected care, population health, health informatics, strategic initiatives, and artificial intelligence. The DHO, funded by the entities that were merged to form it, now comprises 600 personnel from different VHA initiatives.
The DHO’s primary goal is to implement VHA’s digital health strategy by coordinating efforts across various programs and facilities. By enhancing partnerships and developing digital innovations, the office aims to provide the necessary infrastructure and support to deploy these innovations throughout the organization. Although still in the early stages, the DHO was officially announced by Latriece Prince-Wheeler, VHA’s acting deputy chief digital health officer, during a health innovation summit on June 6.
Prince-Wheeler emphasized the need for a coordinated strategy to optimize digital health resources and improve the clinician experience within VA. The office is currently led by acting chief digital health officer Nadia Smith, as VHA continues to recruit permanent leadership. The spokesperson highlighted the importance of embracing new technologies in digital health to deliver high-quality care to veterans, noting that the DHO will align resources and priorities to maximize the impact of these innovations on veterans’ healthcare experiences.