BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
Senior Research Career Scientists support senior investigators who contribute to the VA's research mission by increasing scientific knowledge and serving as mentors to clinician and non-clinician investigators.

OBJECTIVE(S):
Senior Research Career Scientists are expected to: obtain peer-reviewed research; train/mentor junior VA scientists; collaborate with clinician investigators; function as a resource for the research community; and serve on VA research and other committees.

METHODS:
My own peer-reviewed research develops and evaluates strategies to improve the quality and outcomes of care, particularly in primary care. Outcomes of my research include quality of care, patient-centered measures (e.g., health-related quality of life, patient satisfaction with care), clinical parameters, and health services utilization/costs. I am also Director of the Intervention Core in the Durham VAMC Center of Innovation, which provides pragmatic advice and guidance to investigators (especially junior investigators) so they can successfully compete for grants as Principal Investigators.

FINDINGS/RESULTS:
I recently completed three randomized trial for which I was Principal Investigator. These sought to: (1) enhance outcomes for veterans with depression (integrating specialty and primary care services); (2) evaluate the effectiveness of pharmaceutical care for patients with reactive airways disease; and (3) enhance self-efficacy among patients with low back pain. I am an investigator on VA-funded research projects, in the Durham, Indianapolis, and Ann Arbor VAMCs. I mentor junior faculty and fellows, including recipients of HSR&D Career Development Awards. Through these research projects, I collaborate with clinician investigators. With respect to being a resource for the research community, I recently completed my tenure Co-Editor-in-Chief of Medical Care. Within the VA, I have the following duties: (1) Chair, Review Committee, HSR&D Merit Review Entry Program; (2) Member, External Advisory Committee, Research Enhancement Award Program, Indianapolis; (3) Member, VA Information Resource Center (VIReC) Steering Committee; (4) Member, Search Committee, Director, Cooperative Studies Program, Hines VAMC; (5) Member, Cooperative Studies Program Planning Committee, Improving Outcomes Among Patients with Co-Occurring Depression and Diabetes; (6) Member, Research Career Program Review Committee, HSR&D Service, Department of Veterans Affairs; (7) Member, Research and Methodology Committee, Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), Department of Veterans Affairs; (8)Member, External Advisory Committee, Research Enhancement Award Program, Iowa City. In 2003, I received the Under Secretary's Award for Outstanding Achievement in Health Services Research, Department of Veterans Affairs. Also in 2003, I received the Vision Award for Groundbreaking Work in Chronic Illness Care from the Improving Chronic Illness Care Program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

IMPACT:
Previously our research has made both methodological and content contributions to health services research, particularly with respect to primary care. The findings from our recent, ongoing, and planned studies are intended to provide VA policy makers with evidence about the effectiveness of pragmatic strategies that seek to improve the quality and outcomes of care for veterans.

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External Links for this Project

NIH Reporter

Grant Number: IK6RX002991-01
Link: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9612868

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PUBLICATIONS:

None at this time.

DRA: Health Systems
DRE: none
Keywords: none
MeSH Terms: none