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Quality Enhancement Research Initiative

QUERI E-news
March 2021

QUERI Highlights Implementation and Evaluation Science
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Healthcare Technology and Innovation

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the rapid deployment of virtual care (e.g., telehealth, mobile health) and other innovations to meet the needs of Veterans, especially in rural and underserved areas. In partnership with multi-level stakeholders, QUERI is deploying and evaluating implementation and quality improvement strategies to promote the use of promising technologies and innovations. QUERI centers focused on this priority area include the following.

eHealth QUERI aims to demonstrate the impact of VA connected care technologies on important outcomes and identify potential strategies that could further the adoption of these technologies among Veterans and clinical team members. eHealth technologies offer access to healthcare beyond traditional in-person visits.

  • Principal Investigator: Tim Hogan, PhD
  • Partner: VA’s Office of Connected Care

Evaluation of Video Telehealth Tablets QUERI aims to evaluate the effectiveness of VA-issued tablets for high-risk Veterans’ care to identify opportunities to improve the program and examine the costs associated with implementing and sustaining it.

  • Principal Investigator: Donna Zulman, MD, MS
  • Partners: VA Offices of Rural Health and Connected Care

Expanding Expertise Through E-health Network Development (EXTEND) QUERI works to expand Veterans’ access to evidence-based care via telehealth services; identify and apply effective models of telehealth that improve the quality of VA care; and maintain these practices over time through effective sustainment strategies.

  • Principal Investigators: Dawn Bravata, MD; Teresa Damush, PhD; Alan McGuire PhD; and Linda Williams, MD
  • Partners: VA Offices of Rural Health, Connected Care, Specialty Care (Neurology and Pain Management), Primary Care Services, Geriatric and Extended Care, and VISN 10

Measurement Science QUERI is addressing VA healthcare modernization priorities by collaborating with operational partners to implement three high-priority, evidence-based practices that are united by the need to clearly define and continuously monitor standardized metrics to improve the quality of care.

  • Principal Investigators: Mary Whooley, MD; Beth Cohen, MD, MAS; Tonya Kaltenbach, MD, MAS; and Gabriela Schmajuk, MD, MS
  • Partners: VA Offices of Cardiology and Gastroenterology, and VA Pharmacy Benefits Management

QUERI SHAARK works to increase the impact of the VHA Diffusion of Excellence (DoE) program, which provides a national infrastructure for eliciting, implementing, and diffusing promising VA practices. Thus far, QUERI SHAARK has helped facilitate the production of 16 tools and data sources for 59 DoE Promising Practices.

  • Principal Investigators: George Jackson, PhD, MHA; Sarah Cutrona, MD, MPH; and Laura Damschroder, MPH, MA
  • Partner: VHA Innovation Ecosystem

Telewound QUERI is partnering with national, regional, and local health system leaders to evaluate four VA facilities from VISN 15 (VA Heartland Network) and their community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) that are participating in the initial implementation of the Telewound Practice Program, which provides wound care to Veterans using telehealth technologies.

  • Principal Investigators: Frances Weaver, PhD; and Bella Etingen, PhD
  • Partner: VHA Innovation Ecosystem

Virtual Specialty Care QUERI supports clinical operations partners in the roll-out of evidence-based practices (EBPs) that incorporate virtual care technologies to improve access to high quality specialty care for rural and remote Veterans receiving care at home and in community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs).

  • Principal Investigators: John Fortney, PhD; Heather Reisinger, PhD; and Carolyn Turvey, PhD
  • Partners: VA Offices of Rural Health, Connected Care, and Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, and VISNs 20 (Northwest Network) and 23 (Midwest Health Care Network)

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