Background and History

The Houston VA Health Services Research and Development Center of Excellence (CoE) is one of 13 competitively awarded national centers of research excellence funded by the Health Services Research and Development Service of the Veterans Health Administration (VA). The CoE has received generous support from the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center (MEDVAMC) from its establishment in 1990 as the Houston Center for Quality of Care & Utilization Studies. The MEDVAMC provides us with 35,000 sq feet of contiguous space in a beautifully remodeled building, which we have occupied since May 2001. This space fosters collaboration and enhances teamwork among staff because all investigators, scientific support staff, and administrative support staff are located together, whether primarily funded through VA or non-VA support. The ease of interaction and resource coordination enable personnel to efficiently complete their duties.

The CoE is a partnership between the Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development Service and Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), one of the top 10 medical schools in the U.S. Each of our investigators holds an academic appointment at BCM. Investigators hold appointments in the Departments of Medicine, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Surgery and other disciplines.

Over the years, the CoE has flourished into a research powerhouse that has a growing operating budget, nearly 75% primarily from grants and contracts, and a national reputation inside and outside VA for excellence in health services research, investigator development, and scientific leadership.