Abstract — HSRD 2019

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2003 — Research and Operations Partnering to Develop and Diffuse Innovations: Collaboration Among the VA Innovation Ecosystem, QUERI, HSR&D, and ORD

Lead/Presenter: George Jackson, COIN - Durham
All Authors:

Objectives:
The VHA Innovation Ecosystem seeks to empower frontline staff to develop innovations to improve outcomes for Veterans and their families. The core of this Ecosystem includes Diffusion of Excellence (DoE) and Innovators Network (iNET). These programs employ "people-focused" methods, drawing on expertise in human-centered design, change management, and implementation science, building upon tenets of entrepreneurship and health informatics. Ecosystem programs provide external facilitation and support practice diffusion by creating opportunities for engagement in a collaborative peer network and promoting national recognition for frontline employees. The DoE and iNET programs comprise a multi-pronged approach to support dissemination of diverse clinical, administrative and educational practices across VA. The Innovation Ecosystem actively collaborates with VA's research and training missions as core pillar of the newly created Office of Discovery, Education and Affiliates Networks (DEAN). This includes partnerships with the Office of Research and Development (ORD) and Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) to develop a bi-directional pipeline for the diffusion of innovations developed through the Innovation Ecosystem or research and to connect frontline innovators with researchers/QUERI to enhance evidence and implementation strategies when needed. The partnership forum will focus on: 1) defining the roles of innovation, improvement, and research in development and implementation of best practices in the VA; 2) what makes a practice ready to be implemented and spread across the VA (e.g., what evidence is needed); and 3) what should be the nature or partnerships among the Ecosystem, ORD, and QUERI.

Methods:
The session will be moderated by Ryan Vega, MD, MHSA (Director, VA Innovation Ecosystem) and George Jackson, Ph.D., MHA (corresponding PI of QUERI evaluation of DoE and co-PI of evaluation of iNET). After introducing the session [5 minutes], Dr. Vega will set the stage win an overview of the Ecosystem's Phase Gate Model for innovation development and diffusion [15 minutes] and Dr. Jackson will describe the partnership between the Ecosystem and QUERI [10 minutes]. The primary Ecosystem programs will them be described by Blake Henderson, XXX (Director of DoE) [10 minutes] and Brynn Cole (Co-Director of iNet) [10 minutes]. This will be followed by an overview of the ongoing QUERI evaluation of the two programs by Sarah Cutrona, MD, MS (corresponding PI for the evaluation of iNET and co-PI of the evaluation of DoE) [15 minutes]. Finally, we will provide the audience with information on the process of integrating implementation science and practices with David Goodrich , Ph.D. (Implementation Scientist, Center for Evaluation and Implementation Resources) discussing the role of the QUERI Implementation Hubs [10 minutes] and Amy Kilbourne, Ph.D. (Director, QUERI) discussing moving innovations from research to the Ecosystem for further development or implementation [10 minutes] A break will last 10 minutes, during which time participants will split into small groups to discuss three key areas related to research and Ecosystem collaborations to enhance the VA. Each group will meet for 1 hour of moderated conversation focused on key questions related to the partnership. When completed, these groups will provide five minute report outs to the audience, who will have the opportunity to respond. First question/Group: How should we best define innovation, quality improvement, and research in enhancing Veterans health and health care? Second Question/Group: What makes an innovation ready for further development for marketing or a promising or effective practice ready for spread across the VA, including level of evidence, experience of VA facilities, and support from stakeholders? Third Question/Group: What type of infrastructure, resources, and incentives are needed support transitions among (often bi-directional) early-stage innovations, research, implementation of high-value practices and widespread dissemination? How can Innovation Ecosystem and ORD collaborate? The three discussion moderators will be Laura J. Damschroder, MS, MPH, Anais Tuepker, PhD, MPH, and Anita Vashi, MD, who are co-PIs on the evaluation of DoE or iNET.

Results:

Implications:
All HSRandD/QUERI researchers who conduct partnered research and evaluation related to clinical or administrative practices.

Impacts:
Active collaborations among the VHA Innovation Ecosystem, QUERI, and ORD being refined to develop a model and infrastructure for bi-directional collaboration. This forum will allow for additional consideration of perspectives from a variety of health services researchers in this process. Discussions will serve as a basis for a white paper on the research-operations innovation partnership that will be summarized though both HSRandD or QUERI newsletter publication and a journal publication.