Measurement Science QUERI
San Francisco, CA
View program fact sheet
The primary goal of the Measurement Science QUERI Program is to integrate measurement science into healthcare for Veterans. Measurement science (defined as the theory, practice, and application of suitable metrics) is at the core of VA’s Learning Healthcare System and is a critical component at every stage of the quality improvement and implementation process. Using system-wide data to promote performance measurement, improvement efforts, and electronic tools (i.e., clinical reminders) depends on the uniformity of those metrics, the efficiency with which they can be obtained, and the accuracy with which they are measured. Without meaningful metrics, quality improvement and implementation of effective therapies cannot be accomplished. Specifically, investigators in Measurement Science QUERI collaborate with VA operational partners to:
- Improve quality assessment of colonoscopy,
- Expand integrated pain management programs,
- Evaluate implementation strategies for home-based cardiac rehabilitation, and
- Improve measurement of functional status in older Veterans.
Measurement Science QUERI also includes a unique training component designed to accelerate the dissemination of evidence-based therapies by integrating an implementation science curriculum into training programs and involving health professional trainees in quality improvement projects. This not only increases their motivation to engage in continuous quality improvement, but also accelerates the implementation of evidence-based practices by providing trainees with the skills to become future leaders in these areas.
Expected Impacts
Measurement Science QUERI investigators are working to:
- Improve the quality of colonoscopy care through a standardized assessment of colonoscopy quality metrics and the extraction of relevant electronic data. They also will test the assessment’s validity and create a colonoscopy quality report card for physicians to ensure accountability to Veterans and the communities in which they live.
- Implement and disseminate an Integrated Pain Team throughout the San Francisco VA Healthcare System to optimize pain management and reduce opioid use in Veterans with chronic pain.
- Evaluate strategies for the implementation of cardiac rehabilitation programs in accordance with performance measures for secondary prevention published by the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology.
- Develop and test a strategy for implementing the routine measurement of functional status in older Veterans, per recommended guidelines.
Principal Investigators: Mary Whooley, MD (corresponding PI), Rebecca Brown, MD MPH, Tonya Kaltenbach, MD MAS, and Karen Seal, MD MPH.
Principal Operational Partners: Office of Analytics and Business Intelligence, Primary Care Services, Patient Care Services (PCS), VINCI (VA Informatics and Computing Infrastructure), Specialty Care (SCS)/Gastroenterology, Cardiology, Mental Health, Integrated Healthcare, and Geriatrics and Extended Care.