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QUERI Implementation Guide
Section III, Part 2: Resources for Implementing Research into Practice
Resources for Integrating Research into Practice
This section offers information and resources to assist in practical aspects of integrating research findings into practice. Within each category, the resources are listed alphabetically. There are additional links within other sections of the Guide, for example, in the Formative Evaluation section and the Tools and Toolkits section.
The Veterans Health Administration Intranet Home Page may be useful in locating other information or resources about VHA. However, it is only accessible if you are logged onto the VA domain, either by being present at a VA facility, using the network available there, or through remote access connections enabling log-on to the VA domain. If you do not have a VA affiliation, you will need to work with someone who has VA log-on privileges in order to gain access to the Intranet resources.
Please note that links to other sites are not endorsements of those sites, the organizations, or content on those sites. These links are provided to assist you in identifying potentially useful information, ideas, or resources.
Other VHA Resources and Links
The Employee Education System (EES) is the Veterans Health Administration’s education and training organization for employees. EES has established VISN teams that coordinate with VISN leaders and determine regional and facility-specific education and training. There are also 10 Employee Education Resource Centers.
VA Health Services Research and Development Service (HSR&D) offers opportunities for funding projects designed to integrate research and evidence-based findings into practice along with other research opportunities. The HSR&D website provides guidance about funding types available within VA, including format, timelines, and submission deadlines for the types of research funding available. This site also hosts the QUERI national website.
HSR&D’s Health Economics Resource Center (HERC) is a national center that assists VA researchers in assessing the cost-effectiveness of medical care, evaluating the efficiency of VA programs and providers, and conducting high-quality health economics research.
HSR&D’s Center for Organization, Leadership, and Management Research (COLMR) focuses on three areas of research: innovative management practices and quality of care, management practices and effective implementation of change, particularly change involving evidence-based clinical practices, and the development and role of leadership in health care organizations. As a research organization, COLMR is dedicated to facilitating the delivery of the highest quality health care, and seeks to apply health services research findings and expertise to decisions of national importance in the Veterans' Health Administration.
HSR&D’s Information Dissemination Program (IDP) disseminates HSR&D research findings and information to the VA and larger health care communities, and creates opportunities and forums for dialogue among VA managers, clinicians, policy makers, and researchers. Its goal is to help improve health care practice through the dissemination and diffusion of information and findings via various publications and media.
HSR&D’s Measurement Excellence Training and Information Center (METRIC) serves as a resource for improving the overall quality of measurement in the health services research community. MEI exists to: 1) Disseminate information about finding, evaluating, and applying measurement instruments; 2) Educate researchers in all phases of measurement methodology; 3) Facilitate the sharing of measurement knowledge; and 4) Advance measurement science through research.
HSR&D’s VA Information Resource Center (VIReC) was established in 1998 to support researchers who use databases and informatics by providing an infrastructure of database and informatics experts, customer service, expert advice, information products, and Web technology.
The VA National Center for Patient Safety (NCPS) applies human factor analysis and the safety research of high reliability organizations (aviation and nuclear power) targeted at identifying and eliminating system vulnerabilities in VHA.
The VA Office of Policy and Planning supports the Office of Under Secretary for Health as an advisor on strategic planning, VHA policy development and implementation, and knowledge/data management.
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Other U.S. Government Resources
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) web site provides practical health care information, research findings, and data to help consumers, health providers, health insurers, researchers, and policymakers make informed decisions about health care issues.
Cancer Control Planet is a jointly sponsored site (by CDC, NCI, ACS, SAMHSA) that offers informative cancer information and has links to resources for collaboration and disease control programs.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the leading federal agency for the protection of people’s health and safety, providing information to enhance health decisions, and promoting health through strong partnerships. CDC serves as the national focus for developing and applying disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion, and its education activities are designed to improve health.
The HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), formerly HCFA, administers the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the U.S. government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves. Most of the other government agencies listed here are under HHS.
The National Guideline Clearinghouse ™ (NGC), sponsored by AHRQ, is a database of clinical practice guidelines and related materials. The NGC mission is to provide physicians, nurses, and other health professionals, health care providers, health plans, integrated delivery systems, purchasers, and others an accessible mechanism for obtaining objective, detailed information on clinical practice guidelines and to further their dissemination, implementation, and use.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) provides leadership for a national program in diseases of the heart, blood vessels, lung, blood, and sleep disorders. NHLBI plans, conducts, fosters, and supports an integrated and coordinated program of basic research, clinical investigations and trials, observational studies, and demonstration and education projects. For health professionals and the public, the NHLBI conducts educational activities, including the development and dissemination of materials in the above areas, with an emphasis on prevention.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the major national funding source for health-related studies. The goal of NIH is to acquire new knowledge to help prevent, detect, diagnose, and treat disease and disability.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the Federal agency charged with improving the quality and availability of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitative services in order to reduce illness, death, disability, and cost to society that results from substance abuse and mental illnesses.
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Non-US Governmental Resources
AcademyHealth is a professional organization for health services researchers, policy analysts, and practitioners, and is a resource for health research and policy. The organization promotes interaction across the health research and policy arenas by bringing together a broad spectrum of players to share their perspectives, learn from each other, and strengthen their working relationships.
The American Health Quality Association (AHQA) represents Quality Improvement Organizations and professionals working to improve health care quality and patient safety. AHQA focuses on improving health care quality through community-based, independent quality evaluation and improvement programs.
The American Society for Quality (ASQ) Healthcare Division encourages research, innovation, and the formation of learning partnerships to advance the knowledge of healthcare quality. ASQ disseminates information relating to applications, research, and innovations in quality theory and practice in healthcare.
The Center for the Evaluative Clinical Sciences (CECS), at Dartmouth, is a group of scientists and clinician-scholars who conduct research on critical medical and health issues with the goal of measuring, organizing, and improving the health care system.
Their Clinical Improvement of Health Care section works to translate research into tangible action throughout the health care system. One of their clinical initiatives is Clinical Microsystems, which focuses on understanding those systems that provide care to a population.
The Centre for Health Evidence (Canadian) is a non-profit organization funded by grants and service contracts that engages in projects and partnerships that promote evidence-based practice. Their emphasis is the use of Internet technologies. Within the CHE site, the Users' Guides to Evidence-Based Practice section offers a series of articles on clinicians’ use of the medical literature to find evidence for practice.
The Commission for Health Improvement's (CHI) aim is to improve the quality of patient care in the National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom. For CHI the patient's experience with the NHS is at the heart of its work. CHI conducts assessments of NHS organizations and conducts investigations, assuring that national guidelines are being followed.
The Foundation for Accountability is a consumer-oriented, national organization working to improve health care for Americans by advocating for an accountable and accessible system where consumers are partners in their care and help shape the delivery of care.
The Health Services Research Projects in Progress (HSRProj) database contains descriptions of ongoing health services research projects funded by government and state agencies, foundations, and private organizations. Use HSRProj to access information about ongoing health services research projects before results are available in a published form.
The mission of Improving Chronic Illness Care (ICIC) is to help the chronically ill through quality improvement and research. The site describes the Chronic Care Model and provides some tools and examples of how it has been used in quality improvement efforts. Dr. Ed Wagner is its National Program Director.
The Institute for Healthc Care Improvement (IHI) is a not-for-profit organization focused on the improvement of health by advancing the quality and value of health care. IHI offers resources and services to help health care organizations make improvements that enhance clinical outcomes and reduce costs. The site includes a variety of tools, resources, and links to other resources. Within the IHI site, you may want to look at Pursuing Perfection and Quality Healthcare.org.
The mission of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) is to advance and disseminate scientific knowledge to improve human health. The Institute publishes information and advice concerning health and science policy to government, the corporate sector, the professions, and the public.
The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) works to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations.
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve health care quality everywhere. This site is a source for information about the quality of our nation’s managed care plans. NCQA is perhaps best known for its work in assessing and reporting on the quality of the nation's managed care plans through its accreditation and performance measurement programs.
The National Patient Safety Foundation (NSFP) is a resource for individuals and organizations committed to improving the safety of patients.
The Stanford Patient Education Research Center has developed the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, which is a series of workshops for people with chronic health problems to help people deal with and manage their chronic conditions. The workshops are meant to be participative, and participants’ mutual support and success build confidence in managing their health and maintaining active and fulfilling lives.
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