Two Case Studies of Statistical Approaches That Simplify the VHA Learning Health Care System

• Activity Number: 7
• Type: Invited
• Date/Time: Sunday, July 31, 2016 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Health Policy Statistics Section
• Author(s): Rebecca B. McNeil* and Kellie J. Sims and Leah L. Zullig and George L. Jackson and Dawn T. Provenzale
• Companies: Durham VA Medical Center and Durham VA Medical Center and Durham VA Medical Center and Durham VA Medical Center and Durham VA Medical Center
• Keywords: health policy ; quality improvement ; administrative data ; learning health care system ; operations research ; implementation science

Abstract

The detailed health care delivery data housed in the electronic medical records system of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) provides extensive opportunities for partnerships between researchers, clinicians, and administrators in support of planning for resource utilization, improving the quality and consistency of health care delivery, and establishing metrics and guidelines for care. We provide examples of simple statistical and epidemiologic operationalizations of questions important to VHA as a learning healthcare system, within the contexts of projects in the areas of (a) quality of colorectal cancer treatment and (b) consistency of care provided to Gulf War I era Veterans. These examples illustrate the value offered by simple and intuitive approaches that are easily structured within rapid-cycle quality improvement processes and multidisciplinary team activities.