Research
VA Research has three overarching strategic priorities: Increase Veterans' access to high-quality clinical trials, Increase the real-world impact of VA research, Put VA data to work for Veterans.
Hines has three major Research and Resource Centers that serve the Hines community and the VA nationwide as well as a number of rehabilitation, biomedical, and clinical researchers, all of whom are dedicated to improving Veterans’ health, well-being and quality of life, restoring function, and enhancing access to care.
Research Centers at Hines
Center of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare (CINCCH)- one of 20 Health Systems Research (HSR) Centers of Innovation in the VA system. The mission of the Centers of Innovation (COINs) is to support innovative research that advances our understanding of VA healthcare to provide the greatest possible impact on VHA policies, healthcare practices and improve Veteran health. In doing so, COINs enhance research collaboration within and across VA Medical Centers and between researchers and other health system, academic, and community partners; train and mentor scientists; facilitate implementation of research findings and improve our understanding of implementation within VA; and support the transformation of VHA into a continuous learning healthcare system. Find out more about CINCCH below:
https://www.cmc3.research.va.gov/
Cooperative Studies Program Coordinating Center (CSPCC)- one of 5 CSP coordinating centers in the VA system. The Cooperative Studies Program (CSP) is responsible for the planning and conduct of large, multicenter clinical trials and epidemiological studies within VA. The CSP mission is to advance the health of Veterans through cooperative research studies that produce innovative and effective solutions to Veteran and national health care problems. These studies have influenced how physicians treat patients in areas that include cancer, heart disease, diabetes, infectious diseases, and mental health conditions. Find out more about Hines CSPCC below:
https://www.vacsp.research.va.gov/CSP_Centers/CSP_Coordinating_Center_Hines_IL.asp
Network of Dedicated Enrollment Sites (NODES)- one of 21 in the VA system. The CSP NODES is a consortium of VA medical centers that have teams in place dedicated to conducting CSP studies to enhance the overall performance, compliance, and management of CSP multi-site research. The mission is to advance the conduct of VA clinical research through collaborative, experienced, and knowledgeable facility-based teams. Find out more about NODES below:
https://www.vacsp.research.va.gov/CSP_Centers/Network_of_Dedicated_Enrollment_Sites_NODES.asp
Million Veteran Program (MVP)- the largest research effort at VA to improve health care for Veterans and one of the largest research programs in the world looking at how genes, lifestyle, military experiences, and exposures affect health and wellness in Veterans. To learn more about MVP and enroll online see below:
VA Information Resource Center (VIReC)/OSIRES- VIReC is dedicated to supporting the effective use of data by VA’s analytic community to transform Veteran health and health care as part of a learning health system. The Office for Sustainment & Implementation of Research EHR Solutions (OSIRES) supports the VA-wide Electronic Health Records transition to ensure successful implementation of clinical research studies continues under the EHR modernization. Find out more about VIReC below:
https://www.virec.research.va.gov/
Additional Resources
Learn more about participating in VA research
https://www.research.va.gov/for_veterans/volunteering-faq.cfm
VA Institutional Biosafety Committee - The VA Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) is responsible for reviewing all research that involves non-exempt recombinant and synthetic nucleic acid molecules following Section 1-C General Applicability and Section 1-D Compliance with the NIH Guidelines. The IBC meets all requirements for membership and review of research as outlined by the NIH Guideline. The IBC meets the first Wednesday of each month except for holidays. The VA Research & Development Institutional Biosafety Committee meeting minutes are public access according to Section IV-B-2-a-(7) of the NIH Guidelines and can be accessed below: