Health Systems Research

The VA Health Systems Research (HSR) is an integral part of VA’s quest for innovative solutions to today’s healthcare challenges. HSR supports research that encompasses all aspects of VA healthcare, focusing on patient care, cost, and quality. The main mission of HSR research is to identify, evaluate, and rapidly implement evidence-based strategies that improve the quality and safety of care delivered to Veterans.

Approximately 1,000 funded investigators conduct collaborative, cross-cutting research, with studies addressing critical issues for both Veterans and the VA healthcare system. Investigations look at an array of topics, including suicide prevention, opioid management, mental health, complex chronic diseases, health informatics, and implementation science, among others. All HSR research proposals are merit-reviewed and subject to strict standards regarding scientific merit and relevance to Veterans’ healthcare needs.

Portfolio

HSR operates under a research model that emphasizes close partnership with clinical and policy stakeholders within VA, in addition to a focus on translating research findings into broader implementation in a learning healthcare system. HSR supports a nationwide network of Centers of Innovation (COINS) that include one or more focused areas of research and address questions of significance to the clinical and operational partners who are directly engaged in the research activities of each Center. The COIN program rewards research innovations and partnerships to ensure that research has the greatest possible impact on VA policies, healthcare practices, and health outcomes for Veterans.

HSR also supports:

• Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI)
  HSR oversees and facilitates VA's QUERI program, which leverages scientifically-supported quality improvement methods, paired with a deep understanding of Veterans’ preferences and needs, to implement evidence-based practices rapidly into routine care and improve the quality and safety of care delivered to Veterans. QUERI’s national network of programs and partnered evaluation initiatives includes more than 200 clinicians and experts in health services research who collaborate with VA leaders, administrators, and frontline providers to ensure VA’s transformation to a learning healthcare system.
• Resource Centers
  HSR provides core funding to Resource Centers that support HSR management and the individual COINs and QUERI.

• Health Economics Resource Center. Documents and evaluates VA economic data bases; creates new VA economics data, and assists VA researchers with a health economics consulting service.
• Center for Information Dissemination and Education Resources. Disseminates research findings via publications, social media, online education (i.e., webinars), and events facilitation (i.e., national meetings); also maintains and updates various ORD and HSR websites.