New HSR&D projects were funded in 2007:                                                                   

•   An Intervention to Enhance Function in Severe Cardiopulmonary Illness (IIR NRI 04-242), Bonnie G. Steele, PhD, ARNP and Cynthia M. Dougherty, PhD
•   Detection of Intimate Partner Violence (IIR NRI 04-040), April A. Gerlock, PhD ARNP
•   Assessing Threats to Value in Computerized Patient Care Documentations (IIR 05-019), Kenric W.Hammond, MD
•   Senior Coordinated Referral (SCORE) Study (IAD 06-036), Susan C. Hedrick, PhD and Sheri Reder, PhD
•   The Impact of Neighborhood Environment on Veteran Health and Survival (IIR 04-436-2), Karin Nelson, MD, MSHS
•   Organizational Correlates of Adherence to Medication (IIR 07-068), Christopher L. Bryson, MD MS
•   Detection of Intimate Partner Violence: Implications for Interventions (NRI 04-040), April A. Gerlock, PhD RN

Projects awaiting funding in 2008:                                                                                  

•   Impact of MRSA Initiative on C. Difficile Rates at Selected VA Facilities (IIR 08-084), Lynn McFarland, PhD
  
•   Hepatitis C Antiviral Treatment Rates: Understanding Ethnic Disparities (IAA 06-213), Michael K. Chapko, PhD
  
•   Modeling of Health Care Costs of Veterans with Chronic Diseases (IIR 07-235), Xiao-Hua Andrew Zhou, PhD
  
•   Changes in Alcohol Screening Scores and Related Health Outcomes (NEW), Katharine Bradley, MD MPH
  
•   Diabetes, Medication Adhence, Control, and Cost (NEW), Chuan-Fen Liu, PhD and Christopher L. Bryson, MD MS

 Up until recently, the Northwest Center maintained a satellite program at the Portland VA Medical Center and received strong support from leadership there. This relationship was recently terminated when Portland successfully competed for a Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP). The REAP application was jointly planned by investigators in Portland and Seattle and the Northwest Center plans to continue a close association with Portland. Dr. Fihn servces on the Steering Committee for the REAP.

Maintenance of a highly diversified research portfolio is a consistent goal of the Center that provides stability and permits leveraging of core VA resources.  Moreover, participation in a variety of funding programs engenders collaboration with both VA and non-VA research communities.

The research objectives of the Center are to provide information to improve the delivery of health services to veterans and to contribute to scientific progress in the field of health services research.  We seek to accomplish these objectives by focusing on four emphasis areas:  management of chronic disease in primary and specialty care, preservation of independence in older adults,  evaluation of alternative delivery systems, and basic methodology in health services research.

Currently Funded Projects and Abstracts                                                                 

AUDIT-C as a Scaled Marker for Health Risks in VA Medical Outpatients
Katharine A. Bradley, MD MPH
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA
Funding  February 2006 – January 2009

Alcohol Misuse and the Risk of Post-Surgical Complications and Mortality
Katherine Bradley, MD, MPH
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle , WA
Funding September 2006 – January 2008

Organizational Correlates of Adhence to Medication
Christopher Bryson, MD MS
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA
Funding April 2008 - March 2011

The Hearing Aid Effectiveness after Aural Rehabilitatio (HEAR) Trial
Margaret Collins, PhD and Bevan Yueh, MD
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA
Funding January 2006- December 2008

Bronchitis and Emphysema Advice and Training to Reduce Hospitalizations (BREATH)
Vincent Fan, MD, MPH
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle , WA
Funding July 2006 – September 2010

QUERI on Ischemic Heart Disease                                                    
Stephan D. Fihn, MD, MPH                                                                      
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 
Funding  June 1998 - September 2009

Collaborative Cardiac Care Project (C3P)
Stephan D. Fihn, MD MPH
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA
Funding  January 2004 – June 2008

Evaluating Quality of Care for Acute Coronary Syndromes in VHA
Stephan D. Fihn, MD MPH and Greg C. Larsen, MD
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle , WA and VA Portland Medical Center , Portland , OR
Funding  October 2004 – June 2008

Development of a Cardiac Assessment and Tracking System (CART)
Stephan Fihn, MD, MPH
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle , WA
Funding January 2003 – September 2008

Detection of Intimate Partner Violence
April Gerlock, PhD, ARNP
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA
Funding July 2007 - June 2011

Assessing Threats to Value in Computerized Patient Care Documentation
Kenric Hammond, MD
Funding July 2007 - June 2010

Senior Coordinated Referral (SCORE) Study
Susan Hedrick, PhD, and Sheri Reder, PhD
Funding July 2007 - June 2010

Dual Use, Continuity of Care and Duplication in VA and Medicare
Chuan-Fen Liu, PhD
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA
Funding  January 2006 – December 2008

The Impact of Neighborhood Environment in Veteran Health and Survival
Karin Nelson, MD, MSHS
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA
Funding October 2007 - September 2009

Impact of the DoD Paradigm Shift on VA Amputee Prosthetic Care
Gayle Reiber, MPH, PhD
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle , WA
Funding April 2006 – October 2008

Diabetic Foot Ulcer Treatment and Amputation Prevention in Non-Tertiary VA Care Facilities
Gayle Reiber, MPH, PhD and Gregory Raugi, MD
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA
Funding July 2006 – March 2009

An Intervention to Enhance Function in Severe Cardiopulmonary Illness
Bonnie Steele, PhD, ARNP and Cynthia M. Dougherty, PhD, ARNP
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA
Funding September 2007 - August 2011

Causal Inferences on Quality of life with Deaths
Xiao-Hua Zhou, PhD
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle , WA
Funding July 2007 – June 2009

Other funding                                                                                                                   

Research Career Development Award
Christopher L. Bryson, MD MS
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA
Funding  July 2004 – September 2009

Research Career Development Award
Vincent S. Fan, MD MPH
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA
Funding  August 2003 – July 2009

Research Career Scientist Award
Susan C. Hedrick, PhD 
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 
Funding   April 1991 - September 2009 

Research Career Scientist Award
Gayle E. Reiber, MPH, PhD 
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 
Funding  January 1999 – April 2009   

Research Career Scientist Award
Xiao-Hua Andrew Zhou, PhD
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 
Funding  October 2007 – September 2012

Medical Informatics MD Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
Kenric W. Hammond, MD 
American Lake VA Medical Center, Tacoma, WA 
Funding  July 1995 - June 2009

Health Services Research  MD Postdoctoral Training Program
Katharine A. Bradley, MD MPH and Christopher L. Bryson, MD, MS
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 
Funding  July 1991 - June 2009 

Health Services Research PhD Postdoctoral Training Program
Gayle E. Reiber, MPH, PhD 
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 
Funding  October 1996 - September 2009