Informatics Resources to Support Health Care Quality Improvement in the Veterans Health Administration
- Affiliations of the authors: VA Information Resource Center, Hines, IL (DMH, RAP, JMS); Midwest Center for Health Service and Policy Research at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL (DMH); Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL (DMH); VA Office of Information, Washington, DC (SR); Health Services Research and Development Service, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC (JGD)
- Correspondence and reprints: Denise M. Hynes, PhD, MPH, RN, Director, VA Information Resource Center (VIReC), Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, PO Box 5000 (151V), Hines, IL 60141; e-mail: <hynes{at}research.hines.med.va.gov>
- Received 2 February 2004
- Accepted 19 May 2004
Abstract
Information systems are increasingly important for measuring and improving health care quality. A number of integrated health care delivery systems use advanced information systems and integrated decision support to carry out quality assurance activities, but none as large as the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The VHA's Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) is a large-scale, multidisciplinary quality improvement initiative designed to ensure excellence in all areas where VHA provides health care services, including inpatient, outpatient, and long-term care settings. In this paper, we describe the role of information systems in the VHA QUERI process, highlight the major information systems critical to this quality improvement process, and discuss issues associated with the use of these systems.
