VHA Health Foundation awarding grants for innovative healthcare programs

The VHA Health Foundation will award grants ranging from $100,000 to $250,000 to U.S. healthcare providers to implement or enhance promising healthcare initiatives at local facilities.

Creating Better Health Through Innovation is VHA's initiative of "finding, funding and disseminating innovative health and healthcare programs." It is part of a new, multi-year strategic plan recently approved by the foundation.

Advancing its relationships with VHA hospitals and other health industry leaders to accelerate the diffusion of these programs beyond individual communities to improve America's health, the foundation will award six to eight recipients in late August

"We expect to utilize a portion of the foundation's endowment over the next few years to fund local innovation and to promote rapid transfer of learning about these innovations," said John Finan, Jr., president and chief executive officer, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System in Baton Rouge, La., and VHA Health Foundation board chairperson. "The foundation will fund programs that have high potential for replication and adoption."

The organization notes that grants are available to healthcare providers including hospitals, healthcare systems, clinics and medical practices. Local partnerships are encouraged to apply, with a healthcare provider serving as the lead.

Proposals must be received in the VHA Health Foundation office no later than Dec. 31, 2005. For additional information, visit the company's Web site at www.vhahealthfoundation.org.

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