Whole Health Coaching to Reduce Emergency Care Use in Homeless Veterans
Official title: Using Data Analytics and Targeted Whole Health Coaching to Reduce Frequent Utilization of Acute Care among Homeless Veterans
Funded at Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys · NIH-11269228 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program pairs VA data tools with peer-delivered whole health coaching to help homeless Veterans rely less on emergency and acute 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 start | January 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01HX003151-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11269228 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are homeless or recently homeless Veterans identified by VA analytics as frequent users of acute care who are connected to or reachable by VA Patient Aligned Care Teams.
✕Less likely to help
Veterans who are not homeless, are not frequent acute-care users, or who do not want contact with peer specialists or coaching are unlikely to benefit from this program.
What this research studies
You would be identified by a VA analytics dashboard as someone who frequently uses emergency or acute care, and trained Peer Specialists would reach out to offer Whole Health Coaching. The coaching focuses on your values and personal goals instead of only treating specific medical problems to reduce stigma and boost your motivation to use support services. Peer Specialists coordinate with your Patient Aligned Care Team using field-based dashboards and clinical aids to tailor referrals and follow-up. The goal is to help you connect with outpatient and supportive services so you need the emergency department less often.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce emergency visits and improve Veterans' connection to supportive and preventive care.
How similar studies have gone: Related programs using data-driven outreach, peer support, or whole person coaching have shown promising improvements in care engagement, though outcomes have varied and combining analytics with coaching is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
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Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys
Palo Alto, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Blonigen, Daniel Michael — Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys
- Study coordinator: Blonigen, Daniel Michael
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.