REACH VET Implementation Program Evaluation

VA Office of Research and Development

Status: Completed

Conditions: Suicide

Treatments: Other: External facilitation

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT03280225

SDR 16-195

Details and patient eligibility

About

The VA's Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention implemented an new program to increase suicide prevention outreach for Veterans at highest risk for suicide. Using a statistical model, REACH VET, short for Recovery Engagement and Coordination for Health - Veterans Enhanced Treatment, uses information from Veterans' health records to identify those who are at a higher risk for suicide, hospitalization, illness, or other negative outcomes. Once a Veteran is identified, his or her VA mental health or primary care provider reaches out to check on the Veteran's well-being and review their treatment plan to determine if enhanced care is needed. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the implementation of this program. The objectives of this evaluation were to evaluate how well this program is put into place using an implementation strategy called virtual external facilitation, and to collect data about the cost of the program and the strategy.

Full description

The VA's Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention is implemented an innovative new program to increase suicide prevention outreach and target Veterans at highest risk for suicide. Using a new predictive model, REACH VET, short for Recovery Engagement and Coordination for Health - Veterans Enhanced Treatment, analyzes existing data from Veterans' health records to identify those who are at a statistically elevated risk for suicide, hospitalization, illness, or other adverse outcomes. Once a Veteran is identified, their VA mental health or primary care provider reaches out to check on the Veteran's well-being and review their condition(s) and treatment plans to determine if enhanced care is needed.

The goal of the proposed study is to evaluate the implementation of REACH VET. The objectives of this evaluation are to:

evaluate the implementation of REACH VET using virtual external facilitation, and collect preliminary data about the cost and cost offsets.

The current evaluation will examine the impact of a virtual external facilitation strategy on the implementation of REACH VET in 28 medical facilities across 7 Veteran Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) in a stepped wedge design. Primary implementation outcomes include metrics of REACH VET implementation: coordinator assignment, provider assignment, care evaluation, and attempted outreach. Qualitative interviews will be conducted with implementation facilitators, Suicide Prevention Coordinator(s), clinical leadership, and providers to identify barriers and facilitators to implementation of REACH VET and the experience of facilitation. Secondary data will be collected on the cost of the intervention and the cost of implementation strategy.

Enrollment: 28 patients

Sex: All

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• VA employee at a facility receiving virtual external facilitation
• Involved in REACH VET implementation

Exclusion criteria

• Not a VA employee
• Not employed at a facility receiving virtual external facilitation
• Not involved in REACH VET implementation

Trial design

28 participants in 1 patient group

VAMC's receiving implementation support for REACH VET

Description:

This cohort consists of 28 VA Medical Centers (VAMC's) needing additional implementation support to fully implement REACH VET as identified by Veteran Integrated Service Network (VISN) leadership, and that agreed to participate.

Treatment:

Other: External facilitation