Using staff-run simulations to speed Veterans' access to mental health and addiction care
Participatory system dynamics vs usual quality improvement: Is staff use of simulation an effective, scalable and affordable way to improve timely Veteran access to high-quality mental health care?
This project teaches VA staff to use computer-based simulations to help Veterans get faster, better mental health and addiction care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Palo Alto, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11343797 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would hear how VA frontline teams build and run computer simulations of staffing, scheduling and referrals using VA electronic data to understand why care gets delayed. Staff work together in a participatory program called Modeling to Learn to try changes in the simulator before making them in clinics. The project compares sites using this simulation approach to sites using usual quality improvement in a cluster randomized design and follows whether more Veterans get evidence-based treatments for depression, PTSD and opioid use disorder. Results come from VA medical records and quality metrics to track changes in timely access and treatment use.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are Veterans seeking mental health or addiction care at participating VA medical centers and clinics, especially those with depression, PTSD or opioid use disorder.
Not a fit: Veterans who do not receive care at participating VA sites or who are seeking care for conditions outside mental health and addiction may not see direct benefits from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help Veterans get faster access to proven mental health and addiction treatments across VA clinics.
How similar studies have performed: Simulation and participatory system-dynamics approaches have improved operations in business and some healthcare settings, but applying them at scale across VA mental health services is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Palo Alto, United States
- Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys — Palo Alto, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zimmerman, Lindsey Eileen — Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys
- Study coordinator: Zimmerman, Lindsey Eileen
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.