Enhancing veteran care through relational facilitation: strategies and mixed methods outcomes

Veterans receiving care in Veterans Health Administration (VA) and non-VA settings often face fragmented care coordination, leading to adverse outcomes. Our study aimed to enhance Veteran care coordination through three evidence-based interventions. Relational Coordination (RC) theory emphasizes enhancing communication and relationships to strengthen team dynamics, which improves care quality. This study evaluated whether RC guided facilitation (relational facilitation) enhanced collaboration and coordinated care within and between teams during intervention implementation.

From 2021 to 2025 trained facilitators supported intervention implementation across 15 VAs using relational facilitation. Key activities included team role identification, relational map development, RC Survey deployment, and RC-related SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-based) goal setting. Relational facilitation impact was assessed using mixed methods incorporating survey data and participant interviews.

Nine sites (n = 138/1017 participants) completed pre/post surveys, with 8.3% average increase post-implementation for most sites (n = 7/9). Participants reported relational facilitation strengthened team dynamics and improved care coordination.

Relational facilitation enhanced teams' collaboration and intervention implementation. Relational facilitation can improve collaboration and patient outcomes.