Applications of Methodologies of the Veterans Health Study in the VA Healthcare System: Conclusions and Summary

Authors

Lewis E. Kazis ScD, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Center for Health Quality Outcomes and Economic Research
Donald R. Miller ScD, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Center for Health Quality Outcomes and Economic Research
Katherine M. Skinner PhD
Austin Lee PhD, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Center for Health Quality Outcomes and Economic Research
Xinhua S. Ren PhD, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Center for Health Quality Outcomes and Economic Research
Jack A. Clark PhD, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Center for Health Quality Outcomes and Economic Research
William H. Rogers PhD, New England Medical Center
Avron Sprio PhD, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Center for Health Quality Outcomes and Economic Research
Alfredo Selim MD, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Center for Health Quality Outcomes and Economic Research
Mark Linzer MD, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine
Susan M.C. Payne PhD, MPH, University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service
Dorcas Mansell MD, MPH, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine
B. Graeme Fincke, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Center for Health Quality Outcomes and Economic Research

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-1-2006

Keywords

Delivery of Health Care, Health Surveys, Surveys and Questionnaires, United States, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans

Publication Title

The Journal of Ambulatory Care Management

Abstract

The Veterans Health Study (VHS) had as its overarching goal the development, testing, and application of patient-centered assessments for monitoring patient outcomes in ambulatory care in large integrated care systems such as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Unlike other previous studies, the VHS has capitalized on rich administrative databases restricted to the VA and linked to patient-centered outcomes. The VHS has developed a comprehensive set of general and disease-specific measures for use by systems of care for ambulatory patients. Chief among these assessments is the Veterans SF-36 Health Survey for measuring health-related quality of life in veteran ambulatory populations. The Veterans SF-36 Health Survey provides the cornerstone for this study and historically has been extensively disseminated and used in the VA with close to 2 million administrations nationally as part of its quality management system. National surveys administered by the VA since 1996 using the Veterans SF-36 Health Survey indicate important regional differences with implications for varying resource needs. Based upon the rich foundation provided by the VHS methodology, the VA has implemented some of these approaches as part of its quality monitoring system and can serve as a model for other large integrated systems of care.

Recommended Citation

Kazis, L. E., Miler, D. R., Skinner, K. M., Lee, A., Ren, X. S., Clark, J. A., . . . Payne, S. M. (2006). Applications of methodologies of the veterans health study in the VA healthcare system: Conclusions and summary. Journal of Ambulatory Care Management, 29(2), 182-188.