Research underlies high-quality patient care
One of the primary goals at the Office of Research and Development is to ensure that our research translates into improving health care for our Veterans. In so doing, we are joined with many initiatives that are focused on providing high-quality care. One example is the Veterans Crisis Line. It is only one of the ways that VA is addressing the critical problem of Veteran suicide. Read more

VA traumatic brain injury conference findings
VA's 2015 state-of-the-art conference on traumatic brain injury was focused on combat-related TBI that occurred during operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Researchers discussed topics ranging from identifying fluid biomarkers to medical imaging to clinical guidelines for treatment of TBI. The conference findings were published in the October 2017 issue of Brain Injury. Read more

Interagency grant to study non-drug approaches to treat pain
HHS, DoD, and VA have jointly funded $81 million in research projects to investigate non-drug approaches to pain management for service members and Veterans. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, which is part of the NIH, is the lead agency on the research initiative. Read more

VA health care equity conference affirms commitment to all Veterans
The VA Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion co-hosted a state-of-the-science conference in 2016. In September 2017, the journal Medical Care published a special supplement devoted to research growing out of that conference, titled "Advancing Health Equity in the VA Health Care System." Read more

Brief screening key to referral for VA chronic pain treatment
Researchers Drs. Steve Martino and Marc Rosen are conducting a study that will use the VA compensation and pension exam as a way to reach Veterans who are applying for a service-connected disability. The study is part of a larger grant designed to investigate non-drug approaches to pain management within the DoD and VA. Read more

The impact of mental illness on palliative care for seriously ill Veterans
Dr. Melissa Garrido, a health services researcher and health economist with the Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, is the recipient of a Career Development award from the VA Office of Research and Development. Her award will help her examine the quality of mental health care provided to Veterans with serious physical illnesses, such as advanced cancer. Read more

PODCAST: Listen as Dr. Garrido explains the connection between anxiety, depression, and serious illness. Listen, Transcript

Use of performance measures for selecting community surgical providers
The VA Office of Community Care is considering using performance metrics to select qualified cardiac surgical providers for the Veterans Choice program. Researchers from the Evidence-based Synthesis Program proposed using the 30-day readmission rate as the best indicator of surgical outcomes. Read more

Veteran reengagement in PTSD psychotherapy
Dr. Katherine Buchholz and a team of VA researchers conducted a study that looked for ways to encourage Veterans with PTSD to return to psychotherapy. They found that any interaction with the VA health care system increased the odds that a Veteran would return to complete psychotherapy for PTSD. Read more

Reduced mortality from staph infections at VA hospitals
A team of VA researchers led by Dr. Michihiko Goto at the Iowa City VA Health Care System published a study in JAMA Internal Medicine that demonstrated the potential benefit of using specific care measures to prevent deaths related to staph infections in the bloodstream. Read more

Editorials from VA Research Scientists

• Communication between health providers and patients living with serious illness
• More proactive approaches to safety in the electronic health record era
• Why suicide risk assessment still matters
• Curing hepatitis C virus infection: best practices from VA
• Choosing Wisely: How to fulfill the promise in the next 5 years

Awards and Career Milestones

• Dr. Rory Cooper named 2017 AAAS Fellow
• VA researcher Dr. Eve Kerr elected to National Academy of Medicine
• VA researcher receives the 2017 American Legion Distinguished Service Medal
• VA researcher receives Louis V. Avioli Founders Award for advancing bone health