Leading innovation at VA: Meet Dr. Anne Lord Bailey 

Innovation is reshaping the future of health care at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), bringing new possibilities to Veterans and providers alike. Dr. Anne Lord Bailey, executive director of Strategic Initiatives Lab (Strat Lab) within the Veterans Health Administration, is one of the leaders pioneering the clinical implementation of immersive technology, bringing hope and healing to Veterans. Keep reading to learn more about Dr. Bailey’s career journey, and why she says VA delivers the “best care for Veterans in the most advanced and effective way possible”. 

Tell me how your career journey started. 

I started as a pharmacy resident at the VA Medical Center (VAMC) in Asheville, North Carolina and pretty quickly saw opportunities to grow and think differently about health care delivery. I started an innovation program there; 50% of the time I was still seeing patients, which is why I came to VA, and 50% of the time I spent with the broader staff to work through how we can improve the health care experience. I met a nurse who felt encouraged by results around using virtual reality (VR) for postoperative knee pain and anxiety. As a pharmacist, that might seem ironic, but that’s actually how we’re trained—to do everything we can before we initiate medications. It’s really exciting to learn more about innovation and health care technology. It’s been a long and fun process! 

What’s one thing you’d like people to know about immersive technology? 

That we need to make it normal in health care. While immersive technology is not going to solve every problem, it does meet the Veterans’ unique needs in unique ways. Ironic, but it can help facilitate human connection, which is a lot of the healing process that we miss in a society plagued by loneliness and isolation. For example, in the throes of the COVID pandemic, we were able to take headsets into the ICUs so patients could connect with their families and caregivers, and still abide by the rigorous infection control protocols. I’m eager to see more Veterans get the opportunity to try this technology, especially those who don’t feel seen or heard. This is an opportunity for us to reach them and meet them where they are. 

How does VA support you in getting the job done and done well? 

VA encourages innovation and allows creativity in support of its singular mission of serving Veterans. The team and I get to pursue these wild ideas when it comes to disruptive technology; sometimes we’re successful and sometimes we fail and need to go back and start again. VA is incredibly supportive of that freedom to pursue those opportunities, and test and try things.  

What’s surprised you most about working at VA? 

VA actually leads in innovation in so many ways! VA is working hard to deliver the best care for Veterans in the most advanced and effective way possible. I don’t think there’s another health care system that can stand side by side with us. 

Can you share a Veteran care experience that has stayed with you? 

A colleague of mine was working with a Veteran in hospice who was quite agitated and really concerned about what the coming days would look like. He said he always thought he could go home one more time. The team was able to set him up with a virtual reality headset and do a flyover of his hometown so he could see his old house and church. This really gave him a sense of closure and peace.  

What advice would you give to someone thinking about applying to VA? 

Get to know a Veteran. There’s a real appreciation of freedom, brother and sisterhood, and service and commitment in a way that’s entirely different than those who haven’t served. It can be personally transformative just to talk to someone with that perspective on life.  

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If you want to make a real impact on the lives of Veterans like Dr. Bailey, consider a rewarding career at VA.