Research News

VA Health Services Research Well-Represented at SGIM Annual Meeting

May 3, 2010

At the recently concluded annual meeting of The Society for General Internal Medicine (SGIM), the VA Health Services Research and Development Service was well-represented in the form of significant scientific session presentations and several key awards recipients.

VA HSR&D investigators and leadership were on-hand to present the following sessions:

• Symposium on the national implementation of VA patient-centered medical homes (PCMH). The PCMH is an updated primary care model that recognizes and rewards the diverse but necessary activities of a primary care home base for a population of patients. This session offered insights from VA leaders about design and implementation of PCMH in VA settings. Session faculty included: David Atkins, MD, PhD, Director, HSRD Quality Enhancement Research Initiative; Malcolm Cox, MD, Chief Academic Affiliations Officer; Seth Eisen, MD, MSc Director, VA Health Services Research and Development Service; Stephan Fihn, MD, MPH Director, VA HSR&D Northwest Center for Outcomes Research in Older Adults; and Richard C. Stark, MD VA's Director of Primary Care Clinic Operations, Patient Care Services.
• VA Investigators Among Plenary Presenters. VA HSR&D investigator Amresh Hanchate, PhD, presented findings regarding a study examining whether healthcare reform in Massachusetts has improved access to inpatient care among minorities. Study findings showed that healthcare reform has positively impacted minority patients, specifically increasing access to important surgeries which are typically underutilized by this population. Dr. Hanchate is also a Research Assistant Professor of General Internal Medicine at Boston University's School of Medicine. Dr. Hachates co-authors included Nancy Kressin, VA HSR&D Career Scientist Awardee, also with Boston University; and Karen Lasser, MD MPH, Alok Kapoor, MD MSc , Danny McCormick, MD MPH, and Meredith Manze, MPH.
• VA Leadership Luncheon. This session presented attendees with the opportunity to learn first-hand what VA leaders think are the future directions of VA. Present at the session were David Atkins, MD, MPH Director, HSR&D Quality Enhancement Research Initiative; Malcolm Cox, MD, VA's Chief Academic Affiliations Officer; Gerald Cross, MD, FAAAFP, VA's Deputy Chief Patient Care Services Officer, and Seth Eisen, MD, MSc Director of VA's Health Services Research and Development Service.
• Women's Health Education in the VA. This session offered attendees the perspectives of three different institutions' models of women's health education in the internal medicine residency continuity clinic. Other issue addressed included: scheduling, ensuring continuity between provider and patient, and developing faculty and support staff expertise in a traditionally male environment. VA investigators at this session included: Session Coordinator, Melissa A. McNeil, MD, MPH of the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Professor of Medicine Rebecca Brienza, MD and Sally Haskell, MD both of the West Haven VA Medical Center; Samina Iqbal, MD, of the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System; and Laure Veet, Director of Education at the VA Women Veterans Strategic Healthcare Group.

Additional VA Presence

In addition to scientific sessions and presentations, two additional VA groups were also on hand:

• VA HSRD Career Development Awards (CDA) program. Experienced VA HSR&D investigators were on-hand to offer junior faculty information about the VA's robust research awards program.
• VA Primary Care Research Interest Group. The PCRIG provides a venue for information exchange regarding the shared research interests of VA Primary Care researchers. Session attendees learned more about research and training issues related to the VA HSR&D and Office of Academic Affiliation educational initiatives.

About the SGIM

The SGIM was founded in 1978 by a national group of academic general internists committed to promoting research and education aimed at improving healthcare for the whole patient, and has approximately 3,000 active members.