Our research mission is to promote better health and healthcare for veterans by understanding healthcare provider behavior, the factors that influence it, and the health systems interventions that will improve it. Our process is to identify theoretical and empirical models of healthcare provider behavior and quality care and then develop, refine and evaluate health care systems interventions based on these models. In the course of our research, we also work to identify and propose solutions for methodologic problems confronting health systems interventions, including those based on statistical, epidemiologic, and data collection techniques.

Our researchers belong to a consortium of institutions that support Center of Excellence activities. Consortium members include the Sepulveda and West Los Angeles campuses of the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, the UCLA School of Public Health *, UCLA Division of General Internal Medicine *, and the RAND Health Program *. Our core investigators current research efforts include:

• QUERI Translation Research (Brian Mittman, Elizabeth Yano, Lisa Rubenstein). Evaluation strategies for translating research into practice are being developed, including identifying the most effective research/evaluation designs and methods that lead to successful dissemination and implementation of positive findings. VA Center of Excellence, VISN 22 MIRECC, RAND
• Primary Care (Lisa Rubenstein, Elizabeth Yano). Studies evaluate variations in VA primary care delivery models over time and assess links between structure, quality of care, and health outcomes. VA Center of Excellence
• HIV (Steven Asch, Matthew Goetz, Henry Anaya). Projects focus on improving care for veterans with HIV, especially in the area of anti-retroviral therapy. VA Center of Excellence, VA QUERI-HIV, and RAND
• Mental Health (Lisa Rubenstein, Scott Sherman, Alexander Young, Paul Shekelle, Joshua Chodosh). Studies focus on improving care for depression and schizophrenia. VA Center of Excellence, VISN 22 MIRECC, VA Mental Health QUERI, and RAND
• Smoking Cessation (Scott Sherman, Elizabeth Yano). Multi-site national studies identify health effects and prevalence of smoking among veterans and non-veterans and how to help them quit. VA Center of Excellence
• Evidence-Based Medicine (Paul Shekelle). Studies focus on assessing the literature through meta-analysis and literature syntheses regarding spinal cord injury, CHF, and Ayurvedic medicine for diabetes, among others. VA Center of Excellence and RAND
• Women's Health (Donna Washington, Elizabeth Yano, Caroline Goldzweig). Projects focus on the structure of women veterans' health care services, patient preferences and PTSD in women veterans. VA Center of Excellence
• End-of-Life and Frail Elderly (Kenneth Rosenfeld, Steven Asch, Karl Lorenz, Brian Mittman, Debra Saliba, Larry Rubenstein, Barbara Vickrey). Projects focus on quality of care and cost-effectiveness, case management for Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's Disease quality of care. VA Center of Excellence, VA GRECC, VA PADRECC, and RAND
• Patient Safety (Peter Glassman). Current projects focus principally on pharmacy safety, including drug interaction reminders, improving prescribing patterns and cost-effectiveness. VA Center of Excellence, UCLA and RAND.
• Healthy Aging (Lisa Rubenstein, Paul Shekelle, Larry Rubenstein). Projects identify and implement evidence-based interventions to improve function and reduce illness. VA Center of Excellence, VA GRECC, and RAND.
• Colorectal Cancer (Elizabeth Yano). VA, in partnership with the National Cancer Institute, are supporting projects on how to improve screening and treatment for colorectal cancer among veterans.
• A team has been funded to study what accounts for whether or not veterans get screened for colorectal cancer. VA Center of Excellence, Colorectal Cancer, QUERI, and UCLA.
• Measuring Quality (Steven Asch, Paul Shekelle, Lisa Rubenstein). Projects compare different methods for measuring quality of care. VA Center of Excellence, and RAND

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