Developing Evidence to Support Policy: Protocol for the StrAtegic PoLicy EvIdence-Based Evaluation CeNTer (SALIENT).

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Implementation Science
• Policy Evaluation

Background:

• Federal agencies must support funding requests with evidence per US Public Law 115-435.
• The Strategic Policy Evidence-Based Evaluation Center (SALIENT) is a key resource for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
• SALIENT assists the VA in meeting evidence and evaluation requirements.

Purpose of the Study:

• Optimize VA policies and programs for veteran populations.
• Improve veteran health, equity, cost, and provider well-being.
• Advance dissemination and knowledge translation science.
• Expand the implementation and dissemination science workforce.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Lean Sprint methodology for iterative, time-boxed work.
• Employed three cores: Operations, Methods, and Knowledge Translation (KT).
• Collaborated with operational partners, stakeholders, and veterans for evaluation plan development.

Main Results:

• Established a center infrastructure for high-priority, responsive evaluations.
• Developed a Lean Sprint systems redesign approach for training.
• Accelerated rapid knowledge translation and dissemination.

Conclusions:

• SALIENT possesses an established infrastructure for rapid, high-impact evaluation development and implementation.
• Integrated resources and interdisciplinary expertise enable adaptation to shifting priorities.
• Fosters a learning health system to train future evaluation and implementation scientists.