Our Story
OAM's Vision and Impact Since 2020
The Office of Advanced Manufacturing (OAM) is a national program office within VHA that plays a crucial role in implementing cutting-edge manufacturing technologies, such as 3D printing, in health care. These technologies allow for faster innovation and improved access to personalized health care solutions for Veterans under VA's care.
The Formation of OAM
Amidst the challenges posed by COVID-19, a group of VHA sites collaborated under the banner of VHA's ADAPT (Agile Design and Production Transformation). This collective initiative aimed to address the urgent needs of Veterans by leveraging innovative approaches to health care delivery.
VHA collaborated with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and America Makes to clinically design, test, and evaluate the safety and effectiveness of 3D-printed solutions. This collaboration yielded millions of essential medical components, including 12M nasal swabs and 116K ventilator components.
The success of ADAPT laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Office of Advanced Manufacturing (OAM) in 2023, reflecting the organization's commitment to harnessing innovation and collaboration to improve health care outcomes for Veterans.
Today, OAM's primary objective is to ensure patient safety, Veterans’ equal access to health care solutions, and high-quality training for VA staff and Veterans in advanced manufacturing technologies.
OAM has helped build six advanced manufacturing sites across the Nation, including one that is registered with the FDA as a medical device developer and manufacturer. VA providers can request products from any site through a consultation process, which supports OAM's goal of ensuring our products are accessible to VA health care providers and Veterans nationwide.
Vision
The vision of OAM is to provide personalized, safe, and equitable care for eligible Veterans by building and expanding advanced manufacturing capabilities across the VA enterprise.
OAM Mission
Equitable Access to Medical Devices
To provide equitable access to patient-matched medical devices.
Collaborative Custom Solutions for Veterans
To fuel collaboration between clinicians and specialized teams capable of designing and creating customized products for Veterans.
Advanced Manufacturing Network for VHA
To create an advanced manufacturing network that allows any VHA facility to access advanced manufacturing capabilities.
Strengthening VA's Supply Chain Resilience
To strengthen VA’s supply chain resiliency by providing “insourcing” manufacturing capabilities.
The Establishment of OAM
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2010
Innovative 3D-printing Breakthrough
Introduction of the first VHA patient-specific solution utilizing 3D-printing technology in a clinical setting, successfully executed by the Central Virginia VA Health Care System. -
2015
The Innovation Creation Series for Prosthetics and Assistive Technologies
VHA hosted a two-day make-a-thon designed to accelerate the development of personalized technologies that improve care and quality of life for Veterans with disabilities. -
2017
First Health Care System with Integrated 3D-printing Network
VHA partnered with Stratasys to establish the first integrated 3D-printing network within a health care system, designed to rapidly advance quality care, foster collaborative best practices, and enhance doctor preparedness across VHA. -
2018
Advancing Health Care with 3D Imaging
Collaboration between VA Puget Sound Health Care System and GE Healthcare led to the accelerated integration of 3D imaging in health care services. -
Mar 2020
Collaborative Efforts in Response to COVID-19
VHA collaborated with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and America Makes to assess 3D-printed solutions, resulting in the production of millions of essential parts to meet critical COVID-19 demands. -
Apr 2020
Joint Incentive Fund Project Kick-off
The VHA-Department of Defense (DoD) 3D Printing Consortium for Medical Applications was initiated through collaboration between VHA and DoD. -
Oct 2020
VA Medical Centers Gain FDA Recognition
VA Puget Sound was registered with the FDA as a medical device manufacturer under the VHA Office of Discovery Education and Affiliate Networks (DEAN). Central Virginia VA Health was temporarily registered to aid in the COVID-19 pandemic response. -
Nov 2020
Establishment of VHA Office of Advanced Manufacturing
The VHA Office of Advanced Manufacturing (OAM) was formally established within the Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning (OHIL), serving as an official entity dedicated to advancing manufacturing capabilities in health care.
