Enterprise Optimization

Overview

The VA ORD, Office of Enterprise Optimization was established to promote and support the VA research enterprise by providing a comprehensive set of tools, processes, and staff to help conduct impactful enterprise-level research.

Purpose

Mission Statement

The VA Office of Research and Development, Enterprise Optimization program office uses enterprise-level research strategies to systematically tackle large-scale clinical, scientific, and operational challenges to improve the health and well-being of Veterans and the nation.

Goals

ORD’s Enterprise Optimization program supports the VA Research Enterprise by:

• Developing a comprehensive set of tools, processes, and staff to help conduct impactful, enterprise-level team research.
• Building new resources and operational procedures to facilitate efficient research activities.
• Providing access to complex scientific data, analytical methods, and translation strategy roadmaps. 

• Operating as an integrated whole to demonstrably achieve the mission of improving Veterans’ well-being through research.
• Playing an integral role in coordinating and facilitating key objectives of the VA Research enterprise.

Leadership

Grant D. Huang, MPH, PhD

Grant D. Huang, MPH, PhD, is the Deputy Chief Research and Development Officer for Enterprise Optimization. He helps lead an enterprise-focused research strategy for planning, integrating, and coordinating VA resources to enhance evidence-based care for Veterans. The enterprise includes field-based research programs at over 100 VA medical centers where pre-clinical, clinical, health services, informatics, and genomics research are conducted.  

Programs

• Cooperative Studies Program
  • Director: Dr. Grant Huang
  • Conducts large multicenter clinical trials and epidemiological studies within ORD.
  • Comprises experts at five data and statistical coordinating centers, a clinical research pharmacy coordinating center, and four epidemiological resource centers.
  • Partners with other federal, international, university, and private industry partners to help provide definitive evidence for clinical practice within VA and the nation.

• Million Veteran Program
  • Director: Dr. Sumitra Muralidhar
  • MVP is a research program that studies how genes, lifestyles, military experiences, and exposures affect health and wellness of Veterans and others.
  • MVP data enables large genetic studies that have shed light on health conditions that matter to Veterans, including diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, endometriosis, osteoarthritis, and impacts of military exposures.
  • Over one million Veterans have enrolled in MVP, making it one of the most diverse genetic repositories in the U.S.

• Partnered Research Program
• Program Manager: Ms. Krissa Caroff
• Identifies and targets best practices for improving partnerships for recruitment activities.
• Develops roadmap and policy guidance to facilitate partnerships with external entities.
• Builds collaborations outside of ORD that will facilitate the translation of VA Research discoveries into the real world.

• Field Operations
• Director: Mr. Antonio Laracuente
• Develops resources and tools to enable the field to operate as part of an enterprise.
• Develops plan for Centralized HR Service.
• Develops HR tools and resources for the field.
• Contracts for commonly needed field support.
• Facilitates enterprise transformation through the launch of initiatives and a subcommittee for Field Operations and Performance.

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Resources

Enterprise Optimization is about building and connecting:

• Tools–to enhance efficiency and apply new approaches and methods to current work processes.
• Large data sets—to advance research that more accurately reflects the diversity of the Veteran population, like the Million Veteran Program.
• Capabilities–to develop and deploy enterprise resources that will maximize value while achieving superior results.
• People–to provide professional development (VA network access only), growth opportunities, and community to foster an environment that will enable staff to make valuable contributions to VA research.
• Pathways and processes–to provide models to effectively achieve outcomes as an enterprise.

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