The Partnered Evidence-based Policy Research Institute (PEPRI) will apply randomized program evaluation methods and innovative data resources to evaluate and refine quality improvement initiatives in essential areas of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) care. PEPRI's Mission: To evaluate, refine, and support rigorous operations and policy evaluations featuring national databases and randomized designs that are targeted for maximum impact on access to care, quality, and value within the VHA. PEPRI will coordinate closely with the Partnered Evidence-based Policy Resource Center (PEPReC), a QUERI-funded resource center created to provide timely, rigorous data analysis to support the development of high-priority policy and management initiatives. PEPReC conducts urgent projects that have operations and QUERI financial support. PEPRI will conduct large, multi-year randomized program evaluations in collaboration with research partners supported through the HSR&D-funded service-directed research (SDR) mechanism. PEPReC projects may develop randomized program evaluations conducted by PEPRI. These larger evaluations require an infrastructure that includes the following three cores:
Aim 1 (Quantitative Methods Core). Promote and maintain publication-quality research design standards while conducting quantitative analysis of administrative data related to selected randomized program evaluations.
Aim 1 begins with preliminary assessment of research design options during discussions with operations partners about potential projects. Members of the Quantitative Methods Core will participate in these discussions and attempt to find creative solutions that maximize experimental validity while minimizing burden on operations resources and time.
Aim 2 (Partnership Core). Facilitate research-operations relationships through ongoing communication with potential project partners; review, refinement and selection of partnered evaluations; and collaboration coordination with operations and research. The Partnership Core has two main roles: 1) coordinating the selection of randomized program evaluations based on HSR&D leadership and operational priorities and 2) serving as liaisons between key stakeholders. Partnership Core staff will be responsible for maintaining contact with potential operational partners and HSR&D leadership to manage the processes through which evaluation concepts are solicited and selected. Once a program or policy is selected for a randomized evaluation, HSR&D will also fund research partners focused on primary data collection and implementation science. The Partnership Core staff will serve a liaison role between the operation partners, Quantitative Core staff and these research partners.
Aim 3 (Dissemination and Education Core). Promote knowledge of and appreciation for evidence- based policy as an approach to effective management and accountability and train the next generation of evidence-based policy researchers. The Dissemination and Education Core will increase awareness of the value of evidence-based policy research. Specific research results will be highlighted when policymakers are confronted with particular issues, and the general principles of evidence-based policy will be featured in general communications. PEPRI will train the next generation of evidence-based policy investigators through the PEPRI Graduate Fellowship and an internal mentoring program.
The Partnered Evidence-based Policy Research Institute (PEPRI) will evaluate, refine, and support rigorous operations and policy evaluations featuring national databases and randomized designs that are targeted for maximum impact on access to care, quality and value within the Veterans Health Administration. This will be accomplished with randomized program evaluation methods and innovative data resources to evaluate and refine quality-improving initiatives in essential areas of VHA care. PEPRI investigators and staff will also maintain relationships with VHA operations partners and help them develop and refine their ideas for quality improvement. PEPRI will help disseminate evaluation methods and results through channels tailored to reach policymakers, researchers, and clinical leaders. PEPRI will also contribute to the training of the next generation of evidence-based policy investigators. To accomplish these goals, PEPRI will be organized into three core programs: the Quantitative Methods Core, the Partnership Core, and the Dissemination and Education Core.
