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Center for Evaluation and Implementation Resources (CEIR)

Evaluation Core

Mission

CEIR's Evaluation Core enhances VA's evaluation capacity by directly partnering with VA operational offices to collaborate on co-designed, partnered evaluation projects developed to answer questions of high national priority.

Services

CEIR’s Evaluation Core collaborates with VA operational partners to design evaluations that best meet operational partner needs, from the initial concept of the evaluation through the delivery of findings and recommendations. Our evaluation work involves:

  • Collaborating with operational partners to develop evaluation plans to assess programs or policies, including developing logic models, refining evaluation questions, matching of evaluation frameworks to project goals, and identifying appropriate data collection methods
  • Developing data collection instruments (e.g., interview guides, survey instruments)
  • Collecting and analyzing quantitative data (e.g., surveys, VA administrative data) and/or qualitative data (e.g., key informant interviews, focus groups, document review)
  • Synthesizing findings into actionable recommendations
  • Communicating evaluation findings and recommendations through products tailored to operational partner needs

CEIR conducts the following types of program evaluations:

  • Needs assessment
  • Process/implementation evaluation
  • Outcome evaluation
  • Impact evaluation
  • Rapid evaluation
  • Qualitative/mixed methods evaluation
  • Survey-based evaluation
  • Evaluation involving VA administrative data

Operational Partners

CEIR carried out mixed methods evaluations with several operational offices:

Operational Partner

Key questions

Office of Enterprise Integration
  • What are key priority areas for inclusion in the next iteration of the VA Strategic Plan?

Clinical Resource Hub Health Professional Trainee Workgroup
  • How effective has virtual training been in supporting clinical skill development of trainees placed at VA Clinical Resource Hubs?

Audiology and Speech Pathology National Program Office
  • What has been the impact of tele-audiology among sites participating in the ORH EWI?

Workforce Management and Consulting
  • How does screening for military toxic exposures impact access and workflow in Primary Care?

Office of Academic Affiliations
  • How effective is virtual supervision in supporting clinical skill development of VA health professional trainees (HPTs)?

Office of Research and Development (Health Systems Research)
  • What are the primary outcomes and benefits for investigators and operational offices participating in the Researcher/Evaluator in Residence program?

CEIR’s Evaluation Core has worked with a variety of VA operational offices, including:

  • Audiology and Speech Pathology National Program Office (ASP)
  • Clinical Resource Hubs (CRH) Program Office
  • VA Health Systems Research (HSR)
  • National Improvement Office (NIO) (formerly Center for Improvement Coordination), Office of Quality and Patient Safety (QPS)
  • National Podiatry Program Office
  • Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA)
  • Office of Connected Care (OCC)
  • Office of Enterprise Integration (OEI)
  • The Office of Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP)
  • Office of Rural Health (ORH)
  • Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI)
  • QUERI Partnered Evidence-Based Policy Resource Center (PEPReC)
  • Workforce Management and Consulting Office (WMC)
  • Virtual Care Integration Program (VCI), Office of Primary Care

Contact

Linda Kawentel, Evaluation Core Lead, linda.kawentel@va.gov