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Joann Kirchner, M.D.
University of Arkansas, College of Medicine
Central Arkansas Veterans Health Care System, Little Rock, AR
Research Interests: Career Development, Implementation Science, Mental Health, Rural Telehealth, Primary Care, Mental Health
Dr. Kirchner is a psychiatrist whose research focuses on the implementation of evidence-based practices into routine clinical settings. Over the past several years she has concentrated her research activities on the improvement of care for veterans, specifically those returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. Her work blending clinical and research activities as the VA South Central MIRECC Associate Director, where she served as the MIRECC liaison on the Network’s Mental Health Advisory Council (MH PLAC) as well as the leader of network-wide clinical initiatives, allowed her to develop innovative implementation interventions which she evaluates in implementation research studies. Dr. Kirchner directs the Mental Health Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (MH QUERI). The Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) is a quality improvement program that has become a central component of VA’s commitment to improving the quality of Veterans’ healthcare. QUERI researchers strive to improve healthcare for Veterans by studying and facilitating the adoption of new treatments, tests, and models of care into routine clinical practice. QUERI focuses on diseases and conditions that are common among Veterans and that place a high burden on patients, family members, and the VA healthcare system (i.e., high cost and resource utilization). Research Interests: implementation research, primary care mental health, quality improvement, depression, alcohol use disorders, OEF/OIF veterans, rural health, and clinical-research partnerships.
