chsr research

Our research is outcomes-based, requirements-drive, innovative and directly relevant to the DoD, the American Warfighter, and the Uniformed Services community. Our research focuses on:

Population Health Research - Focusing on improving the overall health and health outcomes of service members, their families, and other priority populations.

Health Policy Research - The development, application, and evaluation of knowledge around which effective policy can be based.

Thought Leadership - Providing recognized expertise in Health Services Research and enabling the MHS to adopt an outcomes-based, measurement driven approach to peacetime healthcare that aligns with the approach it employs during wartime.

The CHSR has the following strategic objectives for research:

  • Conduct research that measurably supports MHS strategic goals/objectives
  • Conduct research that contributes to learning and policy across the MHS
  • Expand USU's military HSR capacity through recruiting, training, and developing health services researchers
  • Become Recognized as the thought leader in military HSR throughout the MHS, DoD, and US Healthcare research communities

 

Current CHSR Research

CHSR conducts research that measurably supports the MHS strategic goals and objectives and contributes to learning and policy across the MHS; expands USU’s HSR capacity; and has been recognized as the thought leader for military HSR across MHS, DoD, and the Nation.

Health Services Research Core

The CHSR Health Services Research Core focuses on conducting research across a vast array of topic areas to answer high priority questions from the DoD and the MHS, particularly emerging HA/DHA priorities.

 

Burden of Diseases and Injuries in the U.S. Military Health System, 2001-2018: Incidence, Prevalence, and Years Lived (GBD)

The GBD Project aims to use the set of measures and metrics of the WHO’s Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study to identify the leading burden of diseases, injuries, and years lived with disabilities (YLD), among US Military beneficiaries as a comprehensive measure of population health.

Assessing the Security and Quality of the U.S. Military Health System Pharmaceutical Supply Chain: A Pilot Study (PhaQS)

The PhaQS Project aims to assess the quality, safety, and availability of pharmaceuticals which are critical to the U.S. healthcare system as well as formally develop, apply, and test a decision-making tool relevant to the public and private health sectors.

Chronic Kidney Disase (CKD) Epidemiology in Military Health Systems

The Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Surveillance Program is a collaborative effort between the CDC and USU to establish and support a continually updating analytical database that will assess the epidemiology, economic impact, and effectiveness of care of CKD in the MHS, as well as contribute to the understanding of the impact of CKD in the U.S.

Comparative Effectiveness and Provider Induced Demand Collaboration (EPIC)

The EPIC Project uses the MHS Data Repository (MDR) for secondary data analysis of claims data to answer pertinent health services questions. Current studies focus on low value care and servicewomen’s health in the MHS.

Servicewomen’s Health

The CHSR maintains a robust servicewomen’s health portfolio that focuses on issues critical to the health and wellbeing of our servicewomen. The work is summarized in 5 categories: potentially avoidable variation in health access and outcomes, childbearing cycle outcomes, opioid use, quality/process improvement, and military occupational specialty.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Prevention and Clinical Guidelines Research (FASD)

The FASD Project investigates the impact of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders on families within the Military Health System. Studies conducted under this project will investigate resource allocation; burden of disease; quality and efficiency of care; access to care; and population-level health outcomes.

Military Health System Response to COVID-19 (MiHReC19)

The MiHReC19 Project uses the Military Health System (MHS) as a model for large health systems investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the MHS, specifically on resource allocation; cost, quality and efficiency of care; access to care; and population-level health outcomes.

Validation of Current Musculoskeletal Injury (MSKI) Metrics & Targeted Goals for the Total Force

The MSKI Project aims to address the issue of MSKI among active duty service members by identifying, synthesizing, and assessing information on existing MSKI data to facilitate future health services research into MSKI surveillance, prevention, and treatment.

Health Systems Strengthening

The CHSR offers support to health systems strengthening efforts identifying and recommending changes in policy and practice in other health systems, so that they can better respond to health system challenges.

Military Health System Digitization

The CHSR supports the efforts of the Defense Health Agency to digitize the MHS by conducting research on telehealth and healthcare digitization, as well as advising the DHA on ways to advance their current digitization efforts.