Using VA data for research in persons with spinal cord injuries and disorders: lessons from SCI QUERI

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Data Science in Healthcare

Background:

• The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) serves over 25,000 veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D).
• VA administrative and clinical data are valuable resources for understanding SCI/D healthcare.
• Improving healthcare for veterans with SCI/D is a key objective.

Purpose of the Study:

• To guide researchers on utilizing VA data for SCI/D-related studies.
• To present examples from Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative studies.
• To highlight the potential of VA data for healthcare insights.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing national-level VA administrative and clinical databases.
• Incorporating primary data sources such as medical record reviews and patient surveys.
• Employing methods like the Allocation Resource Center cohort, SCI Dysfunction (SCD) Registry, and VA inpatient SCI flag for veteran identification.

Main Results:

• Identification methods for veterans with SCI/D vary in coverage, with only 33% captured across all three sources.
• Neurological level of SCI data was initially missing for about a third of veterans but reduced to 13% when supplemented with diagnostic codes.
• Primary data collection can effectively augment missing SCI data and provide detailed complication information.

Conclusions:

• VA data, when combined with primary data, offers a robust framework for SCI/D research.
• Researchers can leverage these diverse data sources to gain deeper insights into veteran healthcare needs.
• Effective data utilization is crucial for advancing the quality of care for veterans with SCI/D.