title: Department of Veterans Affairs Quality Enhancement Research Initiative for spinal cord injury.
abstract: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a lifelong condition, requiring ongoing efforts by multiple disciplines to stabilize, diminish, or prevent impairments; avoid or limit secondary complications; and improve or maintain social role functioning and quality of life for the individual throughout his or her life. There are approximately 200,000 persons with SCI in the United States, of whom roughly 22% are veterans. The estimated national economic impact of SCI is approximately $9.73 billion per year. These figures illustrate why SCI is an important topic for the Department of Veterans Affairs Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI). The SCI QUERI will identify gaps in knowledge of SCI treatment and management, develop research efforts to address these gaps, identify best practices for care and management of SCI, and assess whether best practices lead to improved outcomes, including health-related quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Midwest Center for Health Services and Policy Research, Hines VA Hospital, and Institute for Health Services Research and Policy Studies, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA. weaver@research.hines.med.va.gov
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hammond
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guihan
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Hendricks
mesh_terms: D019985:Benchmarking / Q000458:organization & administration; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004282:Documentation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D011788:Quality of Life; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000458:organization & administration*