Evidence Synthesis Program Reports

Evidence Synthesis Program Reports

The Evidence Synthesis Program (ESP) was established to provide timely and accurate syntheses of targeted health care topics of particular importance to VA managers and policy makers and to disseminate these reports broadly throughout VA. Available reports are listed and linked below.

ESP reviews on COVID-19 can be found here: www.covid19reviews.org

Note about "Intranet-only" reports
Many of our reports are embargoed pending journal publication, but are available for internal use by the VA in the interim. For VA employees, to access the intranet only reports listed here, copy and paste http://vaww.hsrd.research.va.gov/publications/esp/reports.cfm into your browser. Once published, a final report will be available on this website. If you would like to be notified when a particular report is released to the public, please contact esp.cc@va.gov.

ALL REPORTS:

Title	Date	Web site
Filter list below:
Systematic Review - Interventions to Improve Long-term Adherence to Physical Rehabilitation Among Those with Hip or Knee Osteoarthritis or Chronic Low Back Pain	2022-06	Intranet
Evidence Brief - Intracameral Moxifloxacin for Prevention of Endophthalmitis After Cataract Surgery	2022-05
Evidence Map - Acupuncture as Treatment for Adult Health Conditions (Update from 2013–2021)	2022-05	Intranet
Evidence Brief - Doula Support for Veterans	2022-05
Review of Reviews - Prognostic Tools and Interventions to Prevent and Treat Diabetic Foot Ulcers	2022-04	Intranet
Evidence Compendium - Assessing Overall Health, Health-related Quality of Life, and Global Well-being During Routine Clinical Care	2022-04	Intranet
Systematic Review - Videoconferencing of Movement-based and Psychologically Informed Interventions for Chronic Pain	2022-04	Intranet
Systematic Review and Meta-analysis - Endoscopic Bariatric Interventions versus Lifestyle Interventions or Surgery for Weight Loss in Patients with Obesity	2022-04	Intranet
Systematic Review - Tele-urgent Care for Low-acuity Conditions	2022-04	Intranet
Systematic Review - Screening for Male Osteoporosis	2022-04	Intranet
Evidence Compendium - Emergency Planning and Risk Management for Telehealth-delivered Mental Health Care	2022-04	Intranet
Evidence Brief - Anticoagulation for Hospitalized Adults with COVID-19	2022-03
Systematic Review of Reviews - Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) for Clinical Teams	2022-03
Evidence Compendium - Long-term Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (COVID-19) on Functional Health Status and Health-related Quality of Life in Community-dwelling Adults	2022-03	Intranet
Systematic Review - Effects of Nurse Staffing on Processes of Care and Resident Outcomes in Nursing Homes	2022-03	Intranet
Living Rapid Review - COVID-19: Remdesivir for Hospitalized Adults	2022-02
Evidence Brief - Staffing Models in Specialty Care	2022-02
Evidence Compendium - COVID-19 Pandemic-related Disruptions in Health Care	2022-02	Intranet
Living Review - COVID-19 Post-hospitalization Health Care Utilization	2022-02
Evidence Compendium - Oculomotor and Visual Field Rehabilitation	2022-01	Intranet
Evidence Compendium – Effectiveness of Mental Health Interventions in the Emergency Department	2021-12	Intranet
Evidence Map – Implementation Factors Influencing the Transition from Emergency to Outpatient Care Settings	2021-12
Evidence Brief - Treatment of Comorbid Conditions	2021-12
Evidence Brief - Prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence/Sexual Assault Among Veterans	2021-12
Systematic Review - Implementation of Psychotherapies and Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction for Chronic Pain and Chronic Mental Health Conditions	2021-11
Systematic Review - Virtual Care for the Longitudinal Management of Chronic Conditions	2021-11	Intranet
Living Rapid Review - COVID-19 Post-acute Care Major Organ Damage	2021-09
Evidence Map - Risk and Protective Factors Across Socioecological Levels of Risk for Suicide	2021-08
Living Rapid Review - Mental health outcomes of adults hospitalized for COVID-19	2021-07
Evidence Brief - Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Traumatic Brain Injury and/or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder	2021-07
Evidence Brief - Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography with Fractional Flow Reserve in Noninvasive Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease	2021-06
Evidence Inventory - VA vs Non-VA Quality of Care	2021-06	Intranet
Evidence Map - Primary Care Engagement Among Veterans with Experiences of Homelessness and Serious Mental Illness	2021-04
Systematic Review - Creating a Culture of Innovation in Healthcare Settings	2021-03
Systematic Review - Population and Community-based Interventions to Prevent Suicide	2021-03	Intranet
Evidence Brief - Detection and Treatment of Dental Problems on Chronic Disease Outcomes	2021-02
Rapid Review - What are the Effects of Different Team-based Primary Care Structures on the Quadruple Aim of Care?	2021-02
Living Ultra-Rapid Review – Risk of Transmitting COVID-19 During Nebulizer Treatment	2021-01
Evidence Brief - Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for Chronic Pain, PTSD, TBI, Opioid Addiction, and Sexual Trauma	2020-12
Systematic Review – Robot-assisted Surgery for Esophageal Cancer: Analysis of Short- and Long-term Outcomes	2020-12
Rapid Review - Health Inequalities in Infectious Disease Epidemics Pre-dating COVID-19 in the United States	2020-11
Compendium - Interventions to increase access to health care and other Veteran associated benefits among Native Veterans	2020-09	Intranet
Systematic Review - Biological Measures and Diagnostic Tools for Gulf War Illness	2020-09
Systematic Review - The Effect of Medical Scribes in Cardiology, Orthopedic, and Emergency Departments	2020-09
Systematic Review - Chronic Pain in Veterans and Servicemembers with a History of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury	2020-08
Evidence Brief - Virtual Diet Programs for Diabetes	2020-08
Systematic Review - Transformational Coaching: Effect on Process of Care Outcomes and Determinants of Uptake	2020-08
Systematic Review - Robot-assisted Procedures in General Surgery: Cholecystectomy, Inguinal and Ventral Hernia Repairs	2020-06
Systematic Review - Care Coordination Models and Tools: A Systematic Review and Key Informant Interviews	2020-06
Evidence Brief - Capnography for Moderate Sedation in Non-Anesthesia Settings	2020-06
Systematic Review - Gulf War Illness: A Systematic Review of Therapeutic Interventions and Management Strategies	2020-04
Compendium - Interventions to Promote Community Reintegration Among Veterans with PTSD, TBI, SCI, or Polytrauma	2020-04	Intranet
Compendium - Evidence on Ketamine or Esketamine Use for Depressive Disorders, PTSD, or Suicide	2020-02	Intranet
Systematic Review - Orthobiologics in Foot and Ankle Arthrodesis Sites	2020-01
Systematic Review - End-stage Renal Disease and Depression	2020-01
Systematic Review - Deprescribing for Older Veterans	2019-12
Systematic Review - Risk of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis after Exposure to Newer Gadolinium	2019-11
Evidence Map - Aromatherapy and Essential Oils	2019-09
Evidence Brief - Barriers and Facilitators to Use of Medications for Opioid Use Disorder	2019-08
Evidence Brief - Benefits and Harms of Long-term Opioid Dose Reduction or Discontinuation in Patients with Chronic Pain	2019-08
Evidence Assist - Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography Innovations in Noninvasive Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease	2019-08
Systematic Review - One to One Observation	2019-08
Systematic Review - Robotic-assisted Surgery in Partial Nephrectomy and Cystectomy	2019-08
Evidence Brief - Managing Acute Pain in Patients with Opioid Use Disorder on Medication-assisted Treatment	2019-08
Systematic Review - Effectiveness of Remote Triage	2019-08
Systematic Review - Comparative Effectiveness of Multifocal, Accommodative, and Monofocal Intraocular Lenses for Cataract Surgery and Lens Replacement	2019-07
Evidence Map - Art Therapy	2019-07
Systematic Review - What is the Optimal Panel Size in Primary Care?	2019-07
Systematic Review – Risk Factors and Interventions to Prevent or Delay Long-term Nursing Home Placement for Adults with Impairments	2019-05
Evidence Brief - Implementation of High Reliability Organization Principles	2019-05
Systematic Review - Cost-effectiveness of Leg Bypass versus Endovascular Therapy for Critical Limb Ischemia	2019-03
Systematic Review - Relationship of Deployment-related Mild Traumatic Brain Injury to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Depressive Disorders, Substance Use Disorders, Suicidal Ideation, and Anxiety Disorders	2019-03
Systematic Review - Adaptive Sports for Disabled Veterans	2019-03
Evidence Brief - Accuracy of Self-report for Cervical and Breast Cancer Screening	2019-02
Evidence Brief - Video Telehealth for Primary Care and Mental Health Services	2019-02
Evidence Map - Guided Imagery, Biofeedback, and Hypnosis	2019-02
Systematic Review - Pharmacotherapy for the Treatment of Cannabis Use Disorder	2019-02
Evidence Brief - Traumatic Brain Injury and Dementia	2019-02
Systematic Review - Scaling Beyond Early Adopters	2019-01
Systematic Review - Self-management of Epilepsy	2019-01
Evidence Brief - Use of Patient Reported Outcome Measures for Measurement Based Care in Mental Health Shared Decision-Making	2018-11
Evidence Inventory - Telehealth Monitoring of Diabetic Foot Ulcer Management	2018-09	Intranet
Evidence Brief - Suicide Prevention in Veterans	2018-09
Systematic Review - Pharmacotherapy for Stimulant Use Disorders	2018-08
Systematic Review - Emergency Department Interventions for Older Adults	2018-07
Scoping Brief - Care Coordination Theoretical Models and Frameworks	2018-06
Evidence Brief - Use of Intradialytic Parenteral Nutrition (IDPN) to Treat Malnutrition in Hemodialysis Patients	2018-03
Evidence Brief - Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) for Traumatic Brain Injury and/or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder	2018-03
Systematic Review - The Effectiveness and Risks of Cranial Electrical Stimulation	2018-02
Systematic Review - Interventions to Support Caregivers or Families of Patients with TBI, PTSD, or Polytrauma	2018-02
Systematic Review - Comparing Antithrombotic Strategies after Bioprosthetic Aortic Valve Replacement	2018-01
Evidence Map - Telehealth Services Designed for Women	2017-11
Evidence Brief - Near Infrared Spectroscopy for Detecting Brain Hematoma	2017-10
Systematic Review - Challenges and Opportunities for Pay-for-Performance as Veteran Care Moves into the Community	2017-10
Systematic Review - Management of Antiplatelet Therapy Among Patients on Antiplatelet Therapy for Cerebrovascular or Peripheral Vascular Diseases Undergoing Elective Non-cardiac Surgery	2017-10
Evidence Review: Social Determinants of Health for Veterans	2017-10
Integrated Outpatient Palliative Care in Oncology	2017-10
Effectiveness of Interventions to Improve Emergency Department Efficiency: An Evidence Map	2017-09
Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Programs for Patients Undergoing Colorectal Surgery	2017-09
Benefits and Harms of Cannabis in Chronic Pain or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review	2017-08
Rapid Evidence Review: Measures for Patients with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain	2017-08
An Evidence Map of the Women Veterans' Health Research Literature (2008 - 2015)	2017-07
Evidence Brief: Use of Performance Measures as Criteria for Selecting Community Cardiac and Orthopedic Surgical Providers for the Veterans Choice Program	2017-07
Management of Antiplatelet Therapy among Patients on Antiplatelet Therapy for Coronary or Cerebrovascular Disease	2017-06
Prevalence of and Interventions to Reduce Health Disparities in Vulnerable Veteran Populations: A Map of the Evidence	2017-05
Systematic Review - Access Management Improvement	2017-05
The Effectiveness of Health Coaching	2017-04
Effectiveness and Harms of Spinal Manipulative Therapy for the Treatment of Acute Neck and Lower Back Pain	2017-04
Evidence Brief: Effectiveness of Stellate Ganglion Block for Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)	2017-02
Comparative Clinical and Economic Effectiveness of Anti-vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Agents	2017-01
Evidence Brief: Effectiveness of Models Used to Deliver Multimodal Care for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain	2017-01
Massage for Pain: An Evidence Map	2016-10
The Comparative Effectiveness, Harms, and Cost of Care Models for the Evaluation and Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)	2016-10
Metformin Use in Patients with Historical Contraindications or Precautions	2016-09
Nonpharmacologic Treatments for Menopause-associated Vasomotor Symptoms	2016-07
Life Expectancy Calculators	2016-06
Evidence Brief: The Comparative Effectiveness, Harms, and Cost-effectiveness of Pharmacogenomics-guided Antidepressant Treatment versus Usual Care for Major Depressive Disorder	2016-05
Technology Assessment: EarlySense for Monitoring Vital Signs in Hospitalized Patients	2016-05
Benefits and Harms of Treating Blood Pressure in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis	2016-05
Evidence Brief: The Comparative Effectiveness of Selected Complementary and Integrative Health (CIH) Interventions for Preventing or Reducing Opioid Use in Adults with Chronic Neck, Low Back, and Large Joint Pain	2016-04
Prevalence and Epidemiology of Combat Blast Injuries from the Military Cohort 2001-2014	2016-03
Rural Healthcare Workforce: A Systematic Review	2016-01
Modifiable Risk Factors in the Progression of Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review of the Epidemiology and Treatment	2016-01
Benefits and Harms of the Mediterranean Diet Compared to Other Diets	2015-11
Interventions to Improve Pharmacological Adherence among Adults with Psychotic Spectrum Disorders, Bipolar Disorder, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder	2015-11
Systematic Review of Suicide Prevention in Veterans	2015-11
Evidence Brief: The Comparative Effectiveness of Bariatric Surgery in Super Obesity	2015-10
Pharmacist-led Chronic Disease Management: A Systematic Review of Effectiveness and Harms Compared to Usual Care	2015-10
The Effectiveness of Procedures to Remove or Occlude the Left Atrial Appendage	2015-10
White Paper: The Impact of Pedometers on Chronic Conditions - A Review of Reviews	2015-09
Sex Effects in High-impact Conditions for Women Veterans - Depression, Diabetes, and Chronic Pain	2015-09
The Impact of Wearable Motion Sensing Technologies on Physical Activity	2015-09
Evidence Brief: Comparative Effectiveness of Appointment Recall Reminder Procedures for Follow-up Appointments	2015-07
Effectiveness of Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Devices for Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in High-risk Surgical and Medical Patients	2015-06
Understanding the Intervention and Implementation Factors Associated with Benefits and Harms of Pay for Performance Programs in Healthcare	2015-05
Comparative Effectiveness of Home-based Kidney Dialysis versus In-center or Other Outpatient Kidney Dialysis Locations	2015-05
Evidence Brief: Update on Prevalence of and Interventions to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Disparities within the VA	2015-05
Colonoscopy Outcomes by Duration of NPO Status Prior to Colonoscopy with Moderate or Deep Sedation	2015-01
Transitions of Care from Hospital to Home	2015-01
Comparative Effectiveness of Proton Irradiation Treatment	2015-01
Electronic Health Record-based Interventions for Reducing Inappropriate Imaging in the Clinical Setting	2015-01
Evidence Map of Mindfulness (Release Date: October 2014)	2014-11
Mental Health Assessment and Psychosocial Interventions for Bariatric Surgery (Release Date: October 2014)	2014-11
Health Disparities in Quality Indicators of Healthcare Among Adults with Mental Illness (Release Date: October 2014)	2014-11
Evidence Map of Tai Chi	2014-10
e-Interventions for Alcohol Misuse	2014-09
Evidence Brief: The Quality of Care Provided by Advanced Practice Nurses	2014-09
Visual Dysfunction in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review	2014-09
Evidence Brief: Factors that Optimize Therapy with Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Treatment-Resistant Depressions	2014-09
The Effects of Shared Decision Making on Cancer Screening	2014-09
Evidence Map of Yoga for High-Impact Conditions Affecting Veterans	2014-08
Memo: An Evidence-Based Wait Time Threshold	2014-08
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Clostridium Difficile Infection	2014-07
Evidence Brief: The Effectiveness of Mandatory Computer-Based Trainings on Government Ethics, Workplace Harassment, or Privacy and Information Security-Related Topics	2014-06
Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs in Outpatient Settings: A Systematic Review	2014-02
Screening for Hepatocellular Cancer in Chronic Liver Disease: A Systematic Review	2014-02
Early Warning System Scores: A Systematic Review	2014-01
Evidence Map of Acupuncture	2014-01
Benefits and Harms of Femtosecond Laser Assisted Cataract Surgery: A Systematic Review	2013-12
Evidence Brief: Review of Reviews on Various Topics for August 2013 Specialty Care Mini SOTA (Release Date: September 2013)	2013-12
Computerized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adults with Depressive or Anxiety Disorders (Release Date: October 2013)	2013-12
Prevention of Wrong Site Surgery, Retained Surgical Items, and Surgical Fires: A Systematic Review	2013-11
Screening Pelvic Examinations in Asymptomatic Average Risk Adult Women	2013-10
Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs in Inpatient Settings: A Systematic Review	2013-09
Effects of Nurse-Managed Protocols in the Outpatient Management of Adults with Chronic Conditions	2013-08
Budget Impact Analysis: Warfarin and Newer Oral Anticoagulants for the Prevention of Stroke Among Veterans With Atrial Fibrillation	2013-08
Intimate Partner Violence: Prevalence Among U.S. Military Veterans and Active Duty Servicemembers and a Review of Intervention Approaches	2013-08
Evidence Brief: Effects of Small Hospital Closure on Patient Health Outcomes	2013-06
Patients with Positive Screening Fecal Occult Blood Tests	2013-05
Effectiveness of Family and Caregiver Interventions on Patient Outcomes among Adults with Cancer or Memory-Related Disorders	2013-04
Assessment of Alternative Treatment Strategies for Chronic Genotype 1 Hepatitis C	2013-03
Evidence Brief: Developing a Threshold for Small VA Hospitals: Evidence Brief on Quality and Safety (Release Date: February 2013)	2013-03
Evidence Brief: Effectiveness of Intensive Primary Care Programs (Release Date: February 2013)	2013-03
Screening for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Primary Care (Release Date: January 2013)	2013-02
Complications of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Veterans and Military Personnel: A Systematic Review	2013-01
Comparative Effectiveness of Newer Oral Anticoagulants and Standard Anticoagulant Regimens for Thromboprophylaxis in Patients Undergoing Total Hip or Knee Replacement	2012-12
Group Visits Focusing on Education for the Management of Chronic Conditions in Adults	2012-12
Advanced Wound Care Therapies for Non-Healing Diabetic, Venous, and Arterial Ulcers	2012-12
Mobile Applications and Internet-based Approaches for Supporting Non-professional Caregivers	2012-11
Treatment of Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review of Comparative Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness	2012-10
Effects of Health Plan-Sponsored Fitness Center Benefits on Physical Activity, Health Outcomes, and Health Care Costs and Utilization	2012-10
Evidence Brief: Effect of Geriatricians on Outcomes of Inpatient and Outpatient Care	2012-08
Secure Messaging between Providers and Patients, and Patients’ Access to Their Own Medical Record (Release Date: July 2012)	2012-08
Shared Medical Appointments for Chronic Medical Conditions: A Systematic Review	2012-07
Maintaining Research Integrity: A Systematic Review of the Role of the Institutional Review Board (Release Date: May 2012)	2012-06
Use of Left Ventricular Assist Devices as Destination Therapy in End-Stage Congestive Heart Failure	2012-05
Predictors and Consequences of Severe Hypoglycemia in Adults with Diabetes	2012-05
Comparative Effectiveness of Warfarin and Newer Oral Anticoagulants for the Long-term Prevention and Treatment of Arterial and Venous Thromboembolism	2012-04
Suicide Risk Factors and Risk Assessment Tools (Release Date: March 2012)	2012-04
Suicide Prevention Interventions and Referral/Follow-up Services	2012-03
Family Involved Psychosocial Treatments for Adult Mental Health Conditions	2012-02
Nutritional Supplements for Age-related Macular Degeneration	2012-01
The Effect of Working Conditions on Patient Care	2012-01
Treatment of Anemia in Patients with Heart Disease (Release Date: October 2011)	2011-11
Public Presentation of Health System or Facility Data about Quality and Safety	2011-10
Risk Prediction Models for Hospital Readmission	2011-10
Role of the Annual Comprehensive Physical Examination in the Asymptomatic Adult	2011-10
Interventions to Improve Minority Health Care and Racial and Ethnic Disparities	2011-09
A Comparison of Joint Replacement Disparities in VA and Non-VA Settings	2011-09
Delirium: Screening, Prevention, and Diagnosis	2011-09
Effects of Care Models to Improve General Medical Outcomes for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness	2011-09
Performance Characteristics of Self-report Instruments for Diagnosing Generalized Anxiety and Panic Disorders in Primary Care	2011-08
Efficacy of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Therapies for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder	2011-08
Rural vs. Urban Ambulatory Health Care Review	2011-05
Health Effects of Military Service on Women Veterans	2011-05
A Critical Review of the Literature Regarding Homelessness among Veterans	2011-04
Non-pharmacological Interventions for Behavioral Symptoms of Dementia	2011-04
Safe and Effective Anticoagulation in the Outpatient Setting (Release Date: February 2011)	2011-03
Brief Psychotherapy for Depression in Primary Care: A Systematic Review of the Evidence	2011-02
Interventions to Improve Veterans' Access to Care (Release Date: January 2011 )	2011-02
Comparative Effectiveness of Smoking Cessation Treatments for Patients With Depression (Release Date: November 2010)	2010-12
A Systematic Evidence Review of Interventions for Non-professional Caregivers of Individuals with Dementia	2010-10
Systematic Review of Women Veterans Health Research 2004-2008	2010-10
Comparison of Quality of Care in VA and Non-VA Settings	2010-09
Signs and Symptoms of Dementia and Brief Cognitive Tests Available in VA	2010-04
Teledermatology for Diagnosis and Management of Skin Conditions: A Systematic Review of the Evidence	2010-01
Determining the Efficacy of Psychotherapy for Treatment Resistant Depression	2009-10
Determining the Responsiveness of Depression Questionnaires and Optimal Treatment Duration for Antidepressant Medications	2009-10
Assessment and Treatment of Individuals with History of TBI and PTSD	2009-08
Determining Key Features of Effective Depression Interventions	2009-03
Strategies for Suicide Prevention in Veterans (Release Date: January 2009)	2009-02
Management of Inpatient Hyperglycemia: A Systematic Review	2008-10
Pain in Patients with Polytrauma: A Systematic Review	2008-09
Assessment and Management of Acute Pain in Adult Medical Inpatients: A Systematic Review	2008-04
Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Meta Analysis of Effectiveness	2007-09
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the VA Healthcare System	2007-06
Screening Men for Osteoporosis: Who & How	2007-05
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Management	2007-02

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Health Services Research & Development

Evidence Synthesis Program Reports

ALL REPORTS: