WASHINGTON -- The Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Web-based VirtualLearningCenter has received the Government Technology Leadership Award presented by Government Executive magazine.
The center, an online learning program posted on the Internet and VA's intranet for employees, allows caregivers, health care administrators and others who serve veterans to share professional innovations, lessons learned from errors and ideas for reducing costs, while improving efficiency, customer service and quality.
"The VirtualLearningCenter is a great place for everyone to access the 'knowledge capital' of colleagues," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi. "We want VA to be a learning organization to meet employees' needs for continuous improvement in service. This program has made a significant impact in promoting improvement in health care practices and quality in particular, and I'm pleased to see that others recognize its importance."
The VirtualLearningCenter began in 1997 when VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. Thomas L. Garthwaite directed establishment of a system that would spread the word about best practices among VA's health care professionals. It expanded to other VA organizations and to the public through the Internet (http://www.va.gov/vlc) and has shared more than 1,500 ideas internationally.
Contributors who posted ideas online reported annual savings of more than $48 million. Less easy to quantify is the additional savings in staff time when employees nationwide adopt solutions tried by others. The lessons in the center have been accessed internationally more than 591,000 times.
One feature allows people to pose questions and receive advice. Questions may be on clinical or other work-related issues, and VA experts provide answers. VA employees also can automatically receive e-mail notices when innovations are posted on topics in which they registered their interest.
The Government Technology Leadership Awards highlight technology's potential to improve government operations. Of the 266 submissions to this year's contest, 11 were chosen for awards in six categories. The VA nomination was a winner in the category "breaking down barriers between offices and other organizations." Government Executive magazine plans to honor winners Dec. 4 at a Washington ceremony and to feature them in its December issue.
