HSR&D Mission

The VA Health Services Research and Development Service (HSR&D) is an integral part of VA’s quest for innovative solutions to today’s healthcare challenges. HSR&D supports research that encompasses all aspects of VA healthcare, focusing on patient care, cost, and quality. The main mission of HSR&D research is to identify, evaluate, and rapidly implement evidence-based strategies that improve the quality and safety of care delivered to Veterans.

Approximately 1,000 funded investigators conduct collaborative, cross-cutting research, with studies addressing critical issues for both Veterans and the VA healthcare system. Investigations look at an array of topics, including suicide prevention, opioid management, mental health, complex chronic diseases, health informatics, and implementation science, among others. All HSR&D research proposals are merit-reviewed and subject to strict standards regarding scientific merit and relevance to Veterans’ healthcare needs.

HSR&D also supports education and career development for VA clinician and non-clinician scientists through the VA Office of Research and Development's Career Development Program, which includes post-doctoral awards that provide full salary support, allowing awardees to pursue an intensive period of mentored health services research and training.