United States Department of Veterans Affairs
United States Department of Veterans Affairs

Houston VA Health Services Research and Development Center of Excellence

Scientific Program Overview

Scientific Program Areas

Each of the CoE's research programs reflects a key area of focus in determinants of health care quality, with each area informing the CoE's research activities across the theme as a whole. Towards this end, the CoE places a special emphasis on collaboration among CoE investigators across research programs, with the expectation that these collaborations will result in products that reflect multiple research perspectives and address multiple research goals.

The CoE is organized into four scientific programs:

  1. Health Decision-Making and Communication – Led by Program Chief, Richard Street, Ph.D.

    Members of the program study the decisional and communication processes used by patients and providers as they interact in medical settings, with the goal of using this knowledge to enhance patients' participation in the care process, maximize patients' ability to manage their own chronic health problems, and ensure that care for veterans is in line with patients' and families' values and preferences.
  2. Clinical Epidemiology and Outcomes – Led by Program Chief, Hashem El-Serag, M.D., M.P.H.

    Members of the program study the distribution and determinants of health-related states, events, and outcomes in specific populations, with the goal of using this knowledge to control health problems.
  3. Health Services Delivery and Organization – Led by Program Chief, Mark Kunik, M.D., M.P.H.

    Members of the program study innovative interventions and modes of care delivery with the goal to actively disseminate and implement research findings into health care.
  4. Health Policy and Quality – Led by Ad Interim Chief, Laura Petersen, M.D., M.P.H.

    Members of the program study the effects of local, state, and federal governmental policies on the health of populations, access to care, the efficiency of care, and the quality of care, with the goal of using this knowledge to influence health policy and improve the quality of health care.

These scientific programs are supported by the:

  • Design and Analysis Program (methodologists and programmers, led by Robert Morgan, Ph.D.)
  • Operations group (financial and administrative functions, led by Cynthia Nelson, B.S.)

The goal of each program is to provide outstanding leadership and scholarship to produce the best science in its area of emphasis, while collaborating effectively across programs. The CoE Principal Investigator, Program Chiefs, along with the Chief of Operations, comprise the Leadership Team.