Health Services Research (HSR) has called for abstracts to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Department of Veteran Affairs’ Quality Enhancement Research Initiative and other learning health systems. The special edition of the journal aims to highlight the scientific contributions and real-world impacts of these systems. A multidisciplinary panel will review the submitted abstracts and select authors to submit manuscripts. Learning health systems promote continuous learning and improvement, and are critical for achieving healthcare goals and improving healthcare delivery.
Health Services Research (HSR), a leading publication of the Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET) of the American Hospital Association (AHA) and an official journal of AcademyHealth, has announced a call for abstracts for a special edition of the journal. The edition will celebrate 25 years of the Department of Veteran Affairs’ Quality Enhancement Research Initiative and other learning health systems. The objective of this special edition is to highlight scientific contributions and real-world impacts of learning health systems. This paper provides an overview of HSR’s call for abstracts and the significance of learning health systems in improving healthcare.
Overview of HSR’s Call for Abstracts
HSR has invited researchers to submit abstracts that emphasize scientific contributions and real-world impacts arising from learning health systems. The abstracts will undergo a peer-review process, and a multidisciplinary panel will select the authors of the chosen abstracts to submit manuscripts for the special edition of the journal. The deadline for abstract submission is July 17, after which the authors will be notified of the selection decision.
Learning Health Systems and Their Significance
A learning health system (LHS) is a healthcare delivery system that continuously gathers data on patient care and uses that data to improve the quality of care. LHSs promote continuous learning by integrating research and clinical practice, thus enabling healthcare providers to use data and evidence to make informed decisions. This results in improved healthcare outcomes, reduced costs, and an overall increase in the quality of care provided.
LHSs were first conceptualized in the early 2000s, and since then, they have gained significant attention in the healthcare industry. The 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act included provisions for the establishment of a national LHS infrastructure, and the National Academy of Medicine has identified LHSs as a critical tool for achieving healthcare goals.
LHSs differ from traditional healthcare systems in several ways. They are designed to be more responsive to changes in healthcare delivery, including the use of new technologies, and they prioritize data collection and analysis as a means of driving improvement. LHSs also prioritize collaboration between researchers and clinicians, recognizing that the integration of research and clinical practice is essential for achieving the best healthcare outcomes.
The Department of Veteran Affairs’ Quality Enhancement Research Initiative is one of the most well-known LHSs in the United States. Established in 1998, the initiative aims to improve the quality of care provided to veterans by integrating research and clinical practice. The initiative has achieved significant success in improving healthcare outcomes for veterans, and its 25th anniversary is a significant milestone in the development and advancement of LHSs.
