Making guideline-based care for asthma and COPD more consistent in the VA
Official title: Understanding uptake of and adherence to clinical practice guidelines for airway disease among patients cared for in the Veterans Health Administration
Funded at VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System · NIH-11247046 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will look at how VA clinicians follow current care recommendations for Veterans with asthma and COPD and how to make it easier for Veterans to get that care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01HX003939-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11247046 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Veterans receiving care for asthma or COPD within the VA system—especially those with service-related toxic exposures—would be most relevant to this work.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not get care through the VA or who have lung conditions other than asthma or COPD are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
Researchers will analyze VA medical records, pharmacy and administrative data to see how often asthma and COPD care matches current VA guidelines. They will talk with clinicians and care teams through interviews or surveys to identify practical barriers like drug formulary changes, clinic workload, or difficulty keeping up with guideline updates. The team will develop EHR-based measures to track guideline-concordant care over time and identify where workflow or policy changes could help. Findings will be used to suggest concrete steps the VA can take to support clinicians and improve care for Veterans with airway disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more consistent, up-to-date treatment for asthma and COPD in the VA, reducing exacerbations and related hospital visits for Veterans.
How similar studies have gone: Previous efforts to improve guideline uptake have sometimes improved care, but guideline use is often inconsistent, so this project applies those approaches specifically to the VA setting.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Buhr, Russell Glen — VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System
- Study coordinator: Buhr, Russell Glen
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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.