[June 23, 2019] - Rocky Vista University (RVU) is pleased to announce that Cole Zanetti, DO, MPH, Co-Director of RVUCOM’s Digital Health Track, has been appointed as the Senior Advisor for the Veteran Health Administration’s (VHA) Innovation Ecosystem, a program with the mission of enabling health care innovation for the benefit of the Veteran community.

As the first osteopathic physician to serve as Senior Advisor, Dr. Zanetti will assist VHA Innovative Ecosystem in shaping the vision and strategic direction of the entire innovation arm of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This new role will be in addition to his work as Primary Care Section Chief for VA’s Eastern Colorado Health Care System, where he continues to provide guidance from the perspective of an on-the-ground clinician.

“This opportunity, combined with the Digital Health Track, is an absolute honor,” said Dr. Zanetti. “I hope [it shows] the world, in a small way, how the osteopathic profession is leading in innovation in healthcare.”

In 2019, Dr. Zanetti helped launch the Digital Health Track, a pioneering educational track that prepares students to effectively solve complex healthcare challenges through the utilization of technology and applications. Real-world applications of this technology have already been observed in the integration of telemedicine and telehealth technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. By preparing RVUCOM’s students in the latest technology, Dr. Zanetti and the track will help fill the gap of trained and competent professionals in the field of digital health.