Characterization and Evaluation of Department of Veterans Affairs Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities–Accredited Interdisciplinary Pain Rehabilitation Programs: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Program Evaluation (Preprint)

• DOI: 10.2196/preprints.72091
• Publication Date: 2025-05-05T20:05:08Z
• Authors: Jolie N Haun; Christopher A Fowler; Dustin D French; Megan C McHugh; Jacquelyn N Heuer; Lisa M Ballistrea; Rachel C Benzinger; S Angel Klanchar; Friedhelm Sandbrink; Jennifer L Murphy
• Keywords: Preprint; Veterans Affairs

<sec> <title>BACKGROUND</title> Veterans are more likely to experience chronic pain than civilians, with significant negative impacts on long-term health outcomes. Evidence for the effectiveness of prescription opioids management is limited, and use associated an increased risk sleep-disordered breathing, cardiovascular complications, bowel dysfunction, as well opioid misuse overdose. Affairs (VA) Department Defense guidelines prioritizing low-risk, evidence-based interdisciplinary strategies while optimizing pain-related outcomes (PRO) veterans. Commission Accreditation Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)–Accredited VA Interdisciplinary Pain Programs (IPRPs) have shared characteristics, maintaining their unique characteristics individual programs. Though little known about VA’s IPRPs (eg, staffing, services, patients served), implementation, sustainability these mandated </sec> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> The goals our operational partner-driven evaluation (1) characterize across multiple program factors, including but not limited to, service delivery methods, team composition, services modalities offered, served; (2) triangulate data inform visualization that characterizes illustrates individually collectively a system care; (3) identify patient-reported (PROs) metrics measure determine overlap IPRPs. <title>METHODS</title> This partnered-driven will sequential mixed methods prospective design, interviews surveys. Consolidated Framework Implementation Research (CFIR), Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework, Expert Recommendations Implementing Change (ERIC) be used contextualize qualitative data. Rapid content analysis iteratively analyze data, descriptive statistics quantitative Datasets triangulated support partners clinical decision support. <title>RESULTS</title> As April 2025, All IPRP sites engaged, survey interview been collected prepared analysis. results deliverables CARF-accredited characterization, evaluation, implementation learning system. <title>CONCLUSIONS</title> this determinants affecting complex intervention, made up practices. Partner-driven state at each site, measures provide options collecting standardized outcome continued evaluation. future efforts quality improvement improve veterans’ protocol informs approach evaluate multimodal intervention (ie, IPRP), practices treat comorbid condition. Future work may include infrastructure development cost evaluations decision-making. <title>INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT</title> DERR1-10.2196/72091