Synthesis of Research Paper: Overview of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI)

The U.S. Veterans Health Administration (VHA)'s Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) is an innovative integration of health services research, policy, and clinical care delivery designed to improve the quality, outcomes, and efficiency of VHA health care through the identification and implementation of evidence-based practices in routine care settings. A total of eight condition-specific QUERI centers are currently in operation, each pursuing an integrated portfolio of activities designed to identify and correct gaps in clinical quality and performance and to derive generalizable scientific knowledge regarding quality improvement processes and methods and their effectiveness. This overview article describes QUERI's mission, history, structure, and activities and provides a brief summary of key findings and impacts.

[1]  C. Ashton,et al.  Hospital use and survival among Veterans Affairs beneficiaries. , 2003, The New England journal of medicine.

[2]  M. Willenbring,et al.  Variations in evidence-based clinical practices in nine United States Veterans Administration opioid agonist therapy clinics. , 2004, Drug and alcohol dependence.

[3]  V A Parker,et al.  Clinical Service Lines in Integrated Delivery Systems: An Initial Framework and Exploration , 2001, Journal of healthcare management / American College of Healthcare Executives.

[4]  E. Yano,et al.  Evaluation of the VA's Pilot Program in Institutional Reorganization toward Primary and Ambulatory Care: Part I, Changes in process and outcomes of care , 1996, Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges.

[5]  Gary J. Young,et al.  Managing Organizational Transformations: Lessons from the Veterans Health Administration , 2000 .

[6]  Janet M. Corrigan,et al.  Leadership by example : coordinating government roles in improving health care quality , 2003 .

[7]  J. Feussner,et al.  The Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI): from evidence to action. , 2000, Medical care.

[8]  Alastair Baker,et al.  Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century , 2001, BMJ : British Medical Journal.

[9]  M. Field,et al.  Guidelines for Clinical Practice: From Development to Use , 1992 .

[10]  A. Jha,et al.  Effect of the transformation of the Veterans Affairs Health Care System on the quality of care. , 2003, The New England journal of medicine.

[11]  N. Powe,et al.  The role of peer-reviewed journals in science. , 2000, Medical care.

[12]  K. Kizer The "New VA": A National Laboratory for Health Care Quality Management , 1999, American journal of medical quality : the official journal of the American College of Medical Quality.

[13]  M. Field Setting Priorities for Clinical Practice Guidelines , 1995 .

[14]  C. Ashton,et al.  The Veterans Affairs medical care system: hospital and clinic utilization statistics for 1994. , 1998, Medical care.

[15]  E. Yano,et al.  Early Adoption of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Quality Improvement in Veterans Affairs Medical Centers: Use of Organizational Surveys to Measure Readiness to Change and Adapt Interventions to Local Priorities , 2004, American journal of medical quality : the official journal of the American College of Medical Quality.

[16]  D. Berlowitz,et al.  Health Care Reorganization and Quality of Care: Unintended Effects on Pressure Ulcer Prevention , 2001, Medical care.

[17]  M. Field,et al.  Clinical practice guidelines : directions for a new program , 1990 .

[18]  K W Kizer,et al.  Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI): A collaboration between research and clinical practice. , 2000, Medical care.

[19]  K. Kizer,et al.  The "new VA": delivering health care value through integrated service networks. , 1997, Annals of emergency medicine.

[20]  Sherri L. LaVela,et al.  Influenza Vaccination Among Veterans With Spinal Cord Injury: Part 2. Increasing Vaccination Rates , 2003, The journal of spinal cord medicine.