Director
VHA National Improvement Office
Kirsten Aghen is the Director of the VHA’s National Improvement Office (NIO), located in the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veteran Health Affairs, Central Office of VHA’s Quality and Patient Safety division. Ms. Aghen leads national teams on using data, analytics, and process improvement techniques to enhance both VHA’s clinical and administrative performance. Ms. Aghen has over 20 years of combined experience in health care quality, financial management, interpreting laws into action, improvement, public affairs, and general hospital operations. Ms. Aghen began her VA career in 2007 at Hudson Valley Health Care System (VISN 2) and held positions in quality management, nursing, systems redesign, patient advocacy, and public affairs. In 2013, she joined VHA Support Service Center, where she led numerous national programs focused on the intersection of VHA operations and data. In 2018, Ms. Aghen was asked to join VHACO’s new office called the Center for Improvement Coordination (CIC) and assist in the program start up. In 2022, now Director of CIC, Ms. Aghen led the integration of the National System Redesign and Improvement Office with CIC, forming the first ever VHA National Improvement Office (NIO). As Director of NIO, Ms. Aghen sets strategic direction for VHA’s improvement trajectory, leading numerous national and field teams on using data, analytics, and process improvement techniques to enhance both clinical and administrative performance of VA medical facilities around the country. Ms. Aghen continues to be a VHA leader in the intersections of health care analytics, improvement, policy, and operations. Prior to joining VA, Ms. Aghen enjoyed working for the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Women’s Health as a speech writer in the Office of the Secretary and Surgeon General. She spent several years in health care management consulting for New York City hospitals and as a nurse in the private sector. Kirsten began her health care career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco, where she lived in a rural village working in maternal and child health. Ms. Aghen earned a Master of Public Health and advanced certificates in Health Care Management and Finance from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, as well as a recent certification in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from Cornell. She is a VHA Prosci Change Management Instructor, a Registered Nurse, proud Leadership VA graduate of 2016, Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ), and Lean Black Belt. Ms. Aghen lives near New York City with her husband and three children.
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In Pursuit of Zero Harm: A Focused Approach to Quality Improvement (99H)
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
4:30pm – 5:30pm CT