BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
Amy Kilbourne, PhD, MPH, is a national expert in implementation science, partner-oriented research, and translation of clinical quality improvement intervention findings into actionable policy and practice. She has been widely recognized for her research in multisite implementation intervention trials, development and application of large outcomes databases to improve person-centered care, and integrated physical and mental health care strategies. Dr. Kilbourne also has an extensive working knowledge of VA operations and policy, most recently through her national role as Acting Director of the VHA Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI). Dr. Kilbourne has led several national studies in priority areas and VA and NIH-funded grants in a wide variety of health services research areas including mental health, complex chronic illness, health disparities, and women's health. She was currently awarded two national grants: one from AHRQ (R18 HS21425) to study collaborative care models dissemination in solo/small group practices across the U.S.; and another from NIMH (R01 MH099898) to apply the first sequential multiple assignment randomized trial (SMART) design to compare different implementation strategies to facilitate the uptake of evidence-based mental health care programs in community practices. She is also Co-PI of the largest women Vietnam Veterans study to date (VA CSP#579) and PI of two HSR&D funded studies including a randomized controlled trial of an integrated physical and mental health care program for Veterans with mental disorders (IIR 10-340) and a study applying an adaptive implementation intervention trial design to compare the effectiveness of an Enhanced versus standard Replicating Effective Programs (REP) implementation strategy to promote the uptake of outreach programs for Veterans with mental disorders (SDR 11-232). Dr. Kilbourne is currently Professor with tenure at the University of Michigan Medical School Department of Psychiatry. She has over 150 publications and is currently mentoring two PhD post-doctoral fellows and 2 MD/PhD junior faculty. Dr. Kilbourne's future research endeavors include the further development of evidence-based implementation strategies based on adaptive intervention and SMART trial designs and expansion of a CMS-funded implementation and policy program (Medicaid Match) within the Department of Psychiatry. In addition, she will continue her role as Acting Director of QUERI, completing a national strategic plan and updated vision statement for this program.

OBJECTIVE(S):
The objects of this RCS award are to:
1) Continue leading groundbreaking research in implementation science and clinical research in VHA.
2) Promote research and mentoring opportunities in implementation science and clinical research
3) Continue to provide leadership and service in HSRD and ORD.

METHODS:
Dr. Kilbourne will continue leading groundbreaking implementation science and clinical research, including the first study comparing the effectiveness of a SMART implementation intervention strategy for sites not responding to an initial strategy to promote the uptake of a brief care management program (R01 MH 099898), as well as a study with a national health plan to promote the uptake of a national care management program (AHRQ R18 HS21425). She will also complete a study of an adaptive implementation intervention strategy (HSR&D SDR 110-232) as well as a study assessing the effectiveness of a collaborative care model for Veterans with SMI (HSRD IIR 10-340). She will also promote research and mentoring opportunities in implementation science as Acting Director of QUERI. She will continue her clinical research and mentoring of junior investigators, notably through her HSRD-funded projects and through the Women Vietnam Veterans study (CSP 579) as well as the CMS-funded UM Integrated Care Medicaid Match program. Finally, she will continue to provide leadership and service in HSRD/ORD, including study recruitment and management expertise for the Million Veteran Program, as well as through the ORD and QUERI strategic planning processes.

FINDINGS/RESULTS:
Not yet available.

IMPACT:
Dr. Kilbourne's research on implementation science has led to a number of important scientific advances and VHA initiatives. Most notably has been the development of the Enhanced Replicating Effective Programs (REP) framework which was shown to improve treatment fidelity to evidence-based programs in community practice. She also developed the Life Goals Collaborative Care program, which was shown in several randomized controlled trials to improve physical and mental health outcomes for persons with mental disorders, and was recently listed as a SAMHSA National Registry of Evidence-based Practice (NREPP). Since her appointment as Acting Director of QUERI, Dr. Kilbourne has led a number of initiatives in ORD and VHA to improve QUERI's responsiveness to the field and achieve mission-critical priority goals, notably: 1) refining the investigator-initiated review process, leading to shorter turnaround times for grant reviews, 2) developing a process for QUERI-funded QI projects to facilitate partnered initiatives and Centers (e.g., OPCC, ONS, and Social Work), 3) continuing to support QUERI investigators in developing implementation science mentoring opportunities through collaborations with NIH (TIDIRH) and elsewhere, 4) facilitating the contracting process for the QUERI national evaluation, 5) Developing a journal supplement focused on partnered research, 6) Advising QUERI Centers up for renewal, and 7) developing a QUERI strategic plan and vetting to VHA national leadership.

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External Links for this Project

NIH Reporter

Grant Number: IK6RX002991-01
Link: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9612868

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PUBLICATIONS:

None at this time.

DRA: Mental, Cognitive and Behavioral Disorders
DRE: none
Keywords: none
MeSH Terms: none