Helping cardiology teams work better together to improve Veteran care
A Pilot Feasibility and Acceptability Study of a Relational Playbook and Coaching Intervention for Cardiology Teams to Enhance Employee Well-being and Veteran Care
This project uses a practical 'Relational Playbook' plus leadership coaching to help VA cardiology teams reduce burnout and improve care for Veterans.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11091502 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient view, the VA gives nurse managers a Relational Playbook with 50 team-focused actions and pairs them with leadership coaching to change team culture. The pilot is run in cardiology clinics and will track staff well-being, team processes, and signals of how care for Veterans may change using surveys and implementation measures. The team will look at whether the approach is doable and acceptable to managers and staff before wider use. If it works, the VA could spread the tools to more clinics.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: The project is aimed at VA cardiology staff (nurse managers and their teams) at the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, and Veterans receiving cardiology care there could be included in outcome tracking.
Not a fit: Patients who do not receive care at the VA Eastern Colorado cardiology clinics or who are outside the VA system are unlikely to be affected by this pilot.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make cardiology staff less burned out and lead to more reliable, patient-centered care for Veterans.
How similar studies have performed: Team-based coaching and manager-support programs have shown promise for reducing clinician burnout in other settings, but using this specific Playbook plus coaching in VA cardiology is a new pilot.
Where this research is happening
Aurora, UNITED STATES
- VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System — Aurora, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gilmartin, Heather M. — VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System
- Study coordinator: Gilmartin, Heather M.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.