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Serving Rural Veterans Through Research

Group of women in professional attire standing on steps outside a building.
The research team stands on the steps of building 15 at the Charles George VA Medical Center. From left to right, Matthew Maynard, clinician and research investigator; Tatum Pressley, study coordinator; Stephanie Kerr, program support assistant; Sarah Friedman, study coordinator; Lynne Padgett, Ph.D., associate chief of staff for research; Paula Taylor, M.B.A., program support specialist; Jamie Partlow, R.N., study coordinator; Amie Goerlich, study coordinator; Elizabeth Lopez, IRB coordinator; Katheleen Betts, study coordinator; and Christy Lewis, L.P.N., study coordinator (not shown).

By Stephanie Kerr, Program Support Assistant , Research and Development

The Research and Development (R&D) Department at the Charles George VA Medical Center is leading the way in advancing veteran health through innovation, collaboration and community engagement.

As part of the Western North Carolina VA Health Care System (WNCVAHCS), the department is committed to improving care for veterans—especially those living in rural areas—by pioneering studies and developing new treatments that directly address the health concerns most relevant to the veteran population.

Over the past year, the WNCVAHCS Research Department supported a growing portfolio of studies in key areas including oncology, cardiology, mental health and PTSD, diabetes, migraine prevention, substance use disorder, digital literacy and community outreach. The department also actively contributes to the national Million Veteran Program, one of the largest research initiatives in the country, designed to better understand how genes, lifestyle and military experiences affect health and wellness.

“Our research efforts are not about data—they’re about veterans,” said Lynne S. Padgett, Ph.D., FAPOS, associate chief of staff for Research and Development. “By participating in VA research, Veterans play a vital role in shaping future treatments and improving the care experience for themselves and for generations of Veterans who will follow.”

Veterans who volunteer for research may have opportunities to access new therapies, receive additional health evaluations and contribute to discoveries that drive VA medicine forward. Studies are conducted with strict privacy protections and are reviewed to ensure participant safety and ethical integrity.

To learn more about how to participate or support ongoing studies, contact the Research and Development Service at the Charles George VA Medical Center and ask for Paula Taylor, MBA, program specialist for Research and Development, at , or visit https://www.research.va.gov/programs/.

Together, through research, we are serving our rural veterans better—today and for the future.