Challenge
The number of women Veterans is continuing to grow at a rapid pace. However, their unique health needs are not always being appropriately met. Women Veterans are typically younger and have a higher burden of physical and mental health diseases than their male counterparts. Over the past five years, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Women’s Health Services (WHS) and a team of independent contractors have carefully evaluated the state of comprehensive care for women across 140 VA Medical Centers. Armed with this new data, WHS needed support evaluating the results and identifying and improving the care at facilities with critical needs.
Solution
WHS was seeking a contractor with extensive health care industry knowledge and expertise in the coordination of Evidence-Based Quality Improvement (EBQI) Initiatives. Atlas Research was contracted by WHS to review and analyze the results of the FY 2010-2016 Women’s Health Assessments, along with self-assessment, gender disparity, and access data to identify facilities with critical needs, evaluate the implementation of practice recommendations at those facilities, and facilitate quality improvement efforts to address specific priority areas.
Result
Atlas is working with WHS to identify select facilities and adapt a proven EBQI methodology to conduct site visit evaluations and practice interventions. Atlas is facilitating quality improvement efforts that will include delivering quality improvement training and education, intervention practice support, and direct on-site assistance for implementing an EBQI action plan.