Our Mission
Diffusion of Excellence's mission is to identify, replicate, and scale emerging Promising Practices across VHA's nationwide health care system. We sponsor the annual VHA Shark Tank Competition and build capacity for diffusion activities through training, education, and tooling delivered to the country's largest health care workforce.
Diffusion Playbook
Since 2016, Diffusion of Excellence has developed repeatable, inclusive frameworks that enable practices, developed by VHA frontline employees, to obtain recognition and broader impact. The Diffusion of Excellence Playbook provides these diffusion principles in a workbook format for any innovator to craft, replicate, and scale their work.
Read the Diffusion Playbook
Diffusion of Excellence Programs
VHA Shark Tank Competition
Identifying Promising Employee-developed Innovations
The competition shines a spotlight on passionate employees that are addressing pressing VA health care priorities. VHA Shark Tank provides frontline innovators with an incredible opportunity to pitch their practice on a national stage. Then, they reel in bids with dedicated resources to replicate the practice at another VHA facility. The VHA Shark Tank marquee event is at the annual VHA Innovation Experience.
See VHA Shark Tank Competition
Base Camp
Preparing Promising Practices for Replication
Diffusion of Excellence Base Camp brings VHA Shark Tank winners and their selected VHA facilities together to develop implementation plans. Base Camp provides training on project and change management principles to ensure implementation success. The newly formed implementation teams walk away with actionable plans for the new VHA facilities.
National Diffusion Practices
Scaling Promising Practices Across the Enterprise
Diffusion of Excellence implements select Promising Practices with demonstrated impact, replicability, stakeholder support, and cost-effectiveness. A Diffusion Specialist from Diffusion of Excellence is assigned to each practice to promote the national implementation efforts.
View National Diffusion Practices
Diffusion Academy
Improving the Scalability and Sustainability of VA's Promising Innovations
VHA Diffusion Academy brings experienced innovators from across VHA's enterprise together to network, collaborate, and build a business case to further sustain and scale their innovations. Innovators receive training through expert panels and presentations to find resourcing opportunities, garner national stakeholder buy-in, and develop communication strategies.
Diffusion Talent Accelerator
Embedding a Diffusion Culture Within VHA
Diffusion Talent Accelerator is a new offering by VHA Innovation Ecosystem that enables VISNs and National Program Offices to build and sustain a culture of learning by strengthening their ability to replicate and scale innovations. Participants receive training through face-to-face and virtual offerings that include human centered design, storytelling, facilitation, defining compelling metrics, and more.
View the Diffusion Talent Accelerator
Diffusion Marketplace
Discover VA Innovations to Adopt at Your Facility
Diffusion Marketplace is a discovery and collaboration tool that curates VA's promising innovations, encourages their diffusion, and fosters engagement with greater health care communities. Diffusion Marketplace provides the knowledge base for innovators to improve access and care for thousands of Veterans.
Visit Diffusion Marketplace
News & Events
Stay up to date with the latest news and events happening in the community.
Our Team
Blake Henderson
Diffusion of Excellence Director
Amber Goetschius, M.Ed.
Diffusion Specialist
Blaine Fitzgerald, MPH
Diffusion Specialist
Carl R. McCoy, MHRD, Sr. FAC PPM, FAC-COR III
Diffusion Specialist
