Research
The HSR&D Health Economics Resource Center (HERC) is dedicated to increasing VA's capacity to conduct high-quality health economics research and cost-effectiveness studies. It is the economics resource center of the VA Health Services Research and Development Service, and the coordinating center for the VA Cooperative Studies Program. HERC research studies are supported by these two VA intramural research agencies, by the National Institutes for Health, and by other research sponsors.
The VA Cooperative Studies Program (CSP) conducts multi-site randomized clinical trials of innovations in health care. The Health Economics Resource Center (HERC) is the economic coordinating center for CSP. HERC coordinates the evaluation of new CSP studies to determine which should include an economic analysis. HERC economists help plan, implement, and analyze data from trials coordinated by all five CSP statistical coordinating centers. HERC provides the primary economist to trials coordinated by the Boston, Palo Alto, and West Haven centers. HERC also makes improvements to the VA economics infrastructure needed by CSP.
The VA Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) service supports research on innovative strategies that lead to accessible, high quality, and cost-effective care for veterans and the nation. The Health Economics Resource Center (HERC) receives core support from HSR&D to act as a national center that helps VA researchers determine the cost of VA care, assess cost-effectiveness, and evaluate the efficiency of VA programs and providers. HERC operates an economics consulting service for VA researchers. It offers a health economics course and seminars. HERC works to improve methods and data available to VA economics researchers. HERC develops micro-costing methods, evaluates VA cost and utilization databases, estimates the cost of all VA health care encounters, and analyzes VA Decision Support System (DSS) cost data. HERC publishes guidebooks, technical reports, and a bulletin.
HERC economists conduct investigator-initiated research funded by VA Health Service Research and Development Service. They also assist with cost-effectiveness analysis in projects funded by HSR&D and the HSR&D Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) program.
