Seattle-Denver Center of Innovation (COIN)
VA Collaborative Evaluation Center (VACE)

VA Collaborative Evaluation Center (VACE)
A highly collaborative VA “virtual center” composed of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods evaluation experts.
Evaluate implementation of VA initiatives to assess effectiveness and barriers and facilitators to implementation, as well as unintended consequences.
Work collaboratively with operational partners to ensure evaluation outcomes are relevant and useful for program improvements and sustainability.
Benefits of the collective VACE experience
Highly responsive to needs of program office.
Able to quickly address emerging evaluation questions.
Leverage cumulative experience from conducting multiple studies with overlapping foci (e.g. access to care).
Bring knowledge and methodological rigor from one study to another.
Provide multi-specialty perspective on evaluation (e.g., primary care and specialty care).
Background
Group began in 2011 through a competitive award from VA Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) and Office of Specialty Care (OSC) to conduct partnered research and evaluation while meeting the operational needs of the OSC
Developed a longitudinal, mixed methods evaluation of the recently launched national initiatives to improve delivery of specialty care to Veterans:
- Electronic Consults (E-consults)
- Specialty Care Access Networks-Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (SCAN-ECHO)
- Specialty Care Mini-Residency Program (SC-MRP)
- Specialty Care Neighborhood (SCN)
Current Projects
- Project ATLAS Evaluation
- Assess implementation and impact of the ATLAS telehealth project connecting rural Veterans to VA care in community settings
- ED Opioid Safety Initiative (OSI) Program Evaluation
- Assess VA ED OSI program to understand impact on prescribing rates and provider prescribing practices
- FLOW3 Evaluation
- Assess the implementation of the FLOW3 prosthetic procurement process within the VA
- HAPPEN Evaluation
- Assess the impact and cost of the hospital acquired pneumonia prevention by engaging nurses (HAPPEN) intervention
- National GI CRC Screening/Surveillance Evaluation
- Assess patterns of use of the Colorectal Cancer (CRC) screening program to identify problem areas requiring intervention and impact on clinical outcomes
- Scribe Pilot Evaluation
- Qualitatively assess patient and provider satisfaction and implementation of the VA’s Mission 507 Medical Scribe pilot
- Mobile Prosthetic and Orthotic Care EWI Evaluation
- Collect and evaluate data pertaining to need for mobile O&P services throughout the Enterprise
VACE Team
Juliana Barnard
Kelly Blanchard
Richard Blankenhorn
Ariel Briggs
Evan Carey
Nathalie Dieujuste
Kelty Fehling
Bill Feser
Thomas Glorioso
Gary Grunwald
Elise Gunzburger
Rachael Kenney
Rob Klocko
Marcie Lee
Grace Liu
Katie Magid
Melanie Whittington
Piper Williams
Megan Moldestad
Jeff Todd-Stenberg
Jessica Young
Ashley Mog
Val Petrova
Blake Wood
Dave Aron
Sherry Ball
Chris Firestone
Rene Hearns
Lauren Stevenson
Krysttel Stryczek
Tai-Lyn Wilkerson
Questions
If you have any questions please email:
kelty.fehling@va.gov
michael.ho@va.gov