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Take Advantage of QUERI Implementation Tools and Training Opportunities!

Led by Dr. Nick Bowersox, QUERI’s Center for Evaluation and Implementation Resources (CEIR) provides time-sensitive consultation and support to help VA operations leaders, policymakers, managers, and providers scale-up and spread promising innovations and effective policies, programs, and practices. CEIR has developed three key resources:

• QUERI’s Implementation Roadmap Guide for planning, deploying, and sustaining effective practices. The Guide is a comprehensive, practical resource for healthcare practitioners and researchers – helping facilitate implementation planning at all levels of the healthcare system.
• QUERI’s Evaluation Guide highlights best practices for conducting high-quality evaluations. The guide was designed for anyone interested in all phases of evaluation – from how to design and carry out an evaluation to how to interpret the results.
• Implementation Strategy Training Resources describe education and training opportunities in implementation and quality improvement sciences. For example, QUERI’s learning hubs provide the practical experience and skills needed to lead care improvement at individual VA sites. VA employees – from all sites – are welcome to receive free training from QUERI Learning Hubs!

CEIR is organized into four cores based on its offerings and services:

• The Partnership Core provides time-sensitive consultation on project methods, potential collaborators, funding opportunities, and strategic planning for projects related to program evaluation or practice implementation. CEIR consultations often include the sharing of best practice guides, links to trainings, and facilitated introductions to potential collaborators. The CEIR Partnership Core is led by John Donnelly, PhD, MSPH, an epidemiologist and health services researcher.
• The Learning Core develops and administers trainings designed to support skill development related to program evaluation and applied implementation science. Current trainings being managed by this Core include the QUERI Program Implementation Mentoring Core Shared Forum, led by Sharon Nelson, PhD, the Evaluation Boot Camp, and the Early Career Technical Assistance Workshop to take place during AcademyHealth’s 2023 Dissemination and Implementation conference. The Learning Core is led by Nardeen Shafik, MPH, an epidemiologist and health educator.
• The Evaluation Core develops evaluations in collaboration with national operational leaders. CEIR evaluations generally are time-limited, with the goal of generating information that can directly inform operational decision-making and program management. The CEIR Evaluation Core is led by Linda Kawentel, PhD, a sociologist and evaluator.
• The Operations Core provides administrative support for QUERI’s Rapid Response Team projects and HSRD Researcher/Evaluator in Residence projects. This Core is led by Nick Bowersox, PhD, ABPP, a clinical psychologist and program evaluator.

Outcomes from CEIR consultations can help foster both working and collaborative efforts among partners while enabling scale-up and spread of promising innovations and effective policies, programs, and practices.

...I cannot speak more highly of CEIR and the work that they're doing because it really allowed us to take a step back and explore concepts that I never knew existed...Now, we're building out the infrastructure in a way that we could actually measure not only the service impact but the process of how we're spreading and how we can do a better job in the future... —National Program Office/Center Leader

To learn more about implementation, evaluation, and quality improvement methods, please contact CEIR at CEIR@va.gov.

Led by Drs. Allen Gifford, A. Rani Elwy, and Sara Landes, QUERI’s Evidence, Policy and Implementation Center (EPIC) promotes the use of state-of-the-art implementation science (IS) frameworks, measures, and methods to accelerate the translation of research discoveries into routine care within the VA healthcare system. EPIC also works to enhance implementation science training capacity by promoting the development of a diverse implementation science and evaluation workforce within VA. Recent EPIC activities include 1) leading a monthly ADIL Forum for awardees to foster mentorship, networking, and skills building in implementation science, 2) developing and leading the QUERI 25^th Anniversary half-day adjunct meeting following the AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting in Seattle, WA, in June 2023, and 3) creating an implementation science summer practicum experience for MPH students.

EPIC consists of four cores to build enterprise-wide capacity in implementation science:

• Operations Core, led by Dr. Gifford, manages the overall administration and guides and coordinates all aspects of the Center;
• Evaluation Core, led by Dr. Elwy, creates methods and resources – and provides support on the use of state-of-the-art IS frameworks, measures, and methods;
• Knowledge Translation Core, led by Dr. Landes, manages, disseminates, and communicates IS tools, methods, and strategies to research leadership; and
• Learning Core, led by Dr. Monica Matthieu, designs and delivers a professional workforce development program in IS – and develops implementation methods training.

For more information about EPIC, please contact Samantha Sliwinski, MPH, at Samantha.Sliwinski@va.gov .