title: Initial Results from the Survey of Organizational Research Climates (SOuRCe) in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In service to its core mission of improving the health and well-being of veterans, Veterans Affairs (VA) leadership is committed to supporting research best practices in the VA. Recognizing that the behavior of researchers is influenced by the organizational climates in which they work, efforts to assess the integrity of research climates and share such information with research leadership in VA may be one way to support research best practices. The Survey of Organizational Research Climate (SOuRCe) is the first validated survey instrument specifically designed to assess the organizational climate of research integrity in academic research organizations. The current study reports on an initiative to use the SOuRCe in VA facilities to characterize the organizational research climates and pilot test the effectiveness of using SOuRCe data as a reporting and feedback intervention tool.
  
  
  METHODS
  We administered the SOuRCe using a cross-sectional, online survey, with mailed follow-up to non-responders, of research-engaged employees in the research services of a random selection of 42 VA facilities (e.g., Hospitals/Stations) believed to employ 20 or more research staff. We attained a 51% participation rate, yielding more than 5,200 usable surveys.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a general consistency in organizational research climates across a variety of sub-groups in this random sample of research services in the VA. We also observed similar SOuRCe scale score means, relative rankings of these scales and their internal reliability, in this VA-based sample as we have previously documented in more traditional academic research settings. Results also showed more substantial variability in research climate scores within than between facilities in the VA research service as reflected in meaningful subgroup differences. These findings suggest that the SOuRCe is suitable as an instrument for assessing the research integrity climates in VA and that the tool has similar patterns of results that have been observed in more traditional academic research settings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The local and specific nature of organizational climates in VA research services, as reflected in variability across sub-groups within individual facilities, has important policy implications. Global, "one-size-fits-all" type initiatives are not likely to yield as much benefit as efforts targeted to specific organizational units or sub-groups and tailored to the specific strengths and weaknesses documented in those locations.
authors.affiliation: Minneapolis VA Health Care Center, Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America.|HealthPartners Institute, Bloomington, Minnesota, United States of America.
authors.forename: Brian C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Martinson
authors.affiliation: Minneapolis VA Health Care Center, Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Minneapolis VA Health Care Center, Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hagel-Campbell
authors.affiliation: Boston VA, Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mohr
authors.affiliation: Boston VA, Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Martin P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Charns
authors.affiliation: Minneapolis VA Health Care Center, Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bangerter
authors.affiliation: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Carol R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Thrush
authors.affiliation: Minneapolis VA Health Care Center, Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America.
authors.forename: Joseph R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ghilardi
authors.affiliation: Minneapolis VA Health Care Center, Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bloomfield
authors.affiliation: Little Rock VA, Center for Mental Healthcare & Outcomes Research, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.affiliation: James Wells Consulting, Edgerton, Wisconsin, United States of America.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Wells
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012106:Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000458:organization & administration*