Featured Publications
Continuing the transformation: charting the path for the future delivery of Veteran emergency care
Ward M, Kessler C, Abel E, Ahern J, Bravata D. Continuing the transformation: charting the path for the future delivery of Veteran emergency care. Academic Emergency Medicine 2023, 30: 232-239. PMID: 36692104, PMCID: PMC11135051, DOI: 10.1111/acem.14670.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEmergency medicineEmergency careVeterans Affairs emergency departmentEmergency care visitsUrgent care clinicVA Health Services ResearchVeterans' health careQuality of careHealth services researchCare visitsCare clinicsEmergency departmentCare sitesCare locationsVA OfficeMental healthPriority groupsHealth careCareKey research prioritiesVeteransServices researchVisitsArt ConferenceMedicineThe Good, The Bad, The Uncertain: Diverse Provider Experiences with Telemental Health During COVID-19
Lawson JL, Doran JM, O’Shea M, Abel EA. The Good, The Bad, The Uncertain: Diverse Provider Experiences with Telemental Health During COVID-19. Psychiatric Quarterly 2022, 93: 753-774. PMID: 35689752, PMCID: PMC9187881, DOI: 10.1007/s11126-022-09990-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTelemental healthMental health providers' attitudesHealth providers' attitudesCOVID-19 pandemicMental health providersRepeated cross-sectional designPublic health emergencyCross-sectional designProvider attitudesHealth providersProviders' perceptionsProvider experienceFace careHealth emergencyCOVID-19Present studySurvey participantsCurrent studyHealthProvidersCertain settingsOnline surveyPandemicValidity of Incident Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Diagnoses in Administrative Data: a Chart Verification Study
Howell BA, Abel EA, Park D, Edmond SN, Leisch LJ, Becker WC. Validity of Incident Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Diagnoses in Administrative Data: a Chart Verification Study. Journal Of General Internal Medicine 2020, 36: 1264-1270. PMID: 33179145, PMCID: PMC8131432, DOI: 10.1007/s11606-020-06339-3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOpioid use disorderOUD diagnosisInaccurate diagnosisDiagnosis of OUDVeterans Health Administration medical centersOpioid use disorder diagnosisClinical settingClinical errorsOpioid overdose epidemicHealth system responseHealth services researchAdministrative dataIndex encounterChart reviewClinical characteristicsLaboratory valuesCare settingsMedical CenterElevated riskOverdose epidemicUse disordersAvailable chart dataGroup visitsConclusionsOur studyBivariate analysisDual Use of a Patient Portal and Clinical Video Telehealth by Veterans with Mental Health Diagnoses: Retrospective, Cross-Sectional Analysis
Abel EA, Shimada SL, Wang K, Ramsey C, Skanderson M, Erdos J, Godleski L, Houston TK, Brandt CA. Dual Use of a Patient Portal and Clinical Video Telehealth by Veterans with Mental Health Diagnoses: Retrospective, Cross-Sectional Analysis. Journal Of Medical Internet Research 2018, 20: e11350. PMID: 30404771, PMCID: PMC6249500, DOI: 10.2196/11350.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMental health diagnosesClinical video telehealthMore mental health diagnosesVeterans Health AdministrationVideo telehealthDual usersCross-sectional analysisHealth diagnosisVHA usersPersonal health recordsLow-income patientsMultivariate logistic regressionMental health careUsersOverall cohortUrban patientsWhite patientsRural patientsLatino patientsHealth recordsVulnerable patientsSociodemographic disparitiesHealtheVetDual useLower oddsTeam-Based Telecare for Bipolar Disorder
Bauer MS, Krawczyk L, Miller CJ, Abel E, Osser DN, Franz A, Brandt C, Rooney M, Fleming J, Godleski L. Team-Based Telecare for Bipolar Disorder. Telemedicine Journal And E-Health 2016, 22: 855-864. PMID: 26906927, DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2015.0255.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMental health conditionsBipolar disorderCollaborative careCare modelClinical practiceCollaborative chronic care modelComorbid post-traumatic stress disorderPatient safetyHealth conditionsChronic Care ModelCollaborative care modelCollaborative care programSerum level monitoringClinical videoconferencingSerious mental health conditionsQuality of carePost-traumatic stress disorderEvidence of compromisePrazosin useAntidepressant useClinical indicesLithium useSpecialty providersClinical impactCare assessmentResearch and policy recommendations from the SOTA XVI: State of the Art Conference on VA Emergency Medicine
Ward M, Hwang U, Hastings S, Timko C, Chen J, Vashi A, Mattocks K, Abel E, Bravata D. Research and policy recommendations from the SOTA XVI: State of the Art Conference on VA Emergency Medicine. Academic Emergency Medicine 2023, 30: 240-251. PMID: 36775279, PMCID: PMC11166248, DOI: 10.1111/acem.14679.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMental health needsEmergency careOlder veteransHealth needsEmergency Department Care TransitionsCommunity settingsVeterans Affairs Health Services ResearchFollow-up needsGeriatric assessment toolsEmergency medicineCommunity care settingsCare Improvement (BPCI) initiativeNon-VA sourcesSuicide prevention interventionsSubstance use disordersUse of telehealthHealth services researchEvaluation of interventionsEmergency cliniciansCare transitionsCare coordinationPatient outcomesArt ConferenceCare settingsPrevention interventionsVariation in firearm screening and access by LGBT status
Goulet J, Warren A, Workman T, Skanderson M, Farmer M, Gordon K, Abel E, Akgün K, Bean‐Mayberry B, Zeng‐Treitler Q, Haderlein T, Haskell S, Bastian L, Womack J, Post L, Hwang U, Brandt C. Variation in firearm screening and access by LGBT status. Academic Emergency Medicine 2023, 30: 420-423. PMID: 36661348, DOI: 10.1111/acem.14664.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2024
Ten Years of Bipolar Telehealth: Program Evaluation of a Team-Based Telemental Health Clinic
Stein N, Stolzmann K, Abel E, Burgess C, Franz A, Connolly S, Meshberg N, Bailey H, Osser D, Smith E, Bauer M, Godleski L, Miller C. Ten Years of Bipolar Telehealth: Program Evaluation of a Team-Based Telemental Health Clinic. Telemedicine Journal And E-Health 2024 PMID: 39421937, DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2024.0411.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchTelemental healthVeterans AffairsMental health-related quality of lifeMental health-related qualityQuality-of-care indicesQuality mental health careU.S. Department of Veterans AffairsHealth-related quality of lifeTelemental health clinicsDepartment of Veterans AffairsMental health careMedical CenterMental health consultationPositive suicidal screeningHealth care systemVA Medical CenterQuality of lifeBipolar spectrum disordersPostprogram assessmentsHealth clinicsHealth consultationCare systemHealth careSuicide screeningDepressive symptomsThe association of pain screening and pain level with suicide among US veterans with comorbid musculoskeletal and bipolar disorder diagnoses
Abel E, Travaglini L, Snow J, Goulet J. The association of pain screening and pain level with suicide among US veterans with comorbid musculoskeletal and bipolar disorder diagnoses. Journal Of Affective Disorders 2024, 369: 429-435. PMID: 39389110, DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.10.028.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchVeterans Health AdministrationBipolar disorder diagnosisPain screeningPain severity ratingsMusculoskeletal disordersSuicide mortalityPain severityRelative risk of suicideDisorder diagnosisVHA databaseMusculoskeletal disorder diagnosisSuicide riskActual medication useAssociation of painSuicide prevention effortsRisk of suicideHighest suicide ratesHigher suicide riskSuicide risk factorsRetrospective cohort studySubstance use disordersHealth AdministrationPain diagnosisPoisson regressionUS veteransClinical Documentation of Patient Identities in the Electronic Health Record: Ethical Principles to Consider
Decker S, Farook M, Meshberg-Cohen S, Matsuura T, Manning M, Abel E, Blakley L, Prelli F. Clinical Documentation of Patient Identities in the Electronic Health Record: Ethical Principles to Consider. Psychological Services 2024, 21: 589-600. PMID: 37917474, DOI: 10.1037/ser0000816.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMulticultural guidelinesAmerican Psychological Association’s multicultural guidelinesFluid identitiesLanguageLived experienceIdentitySet of questionsIdentity variablesPurpose of documentationEthical dilemmasDocumentation approachAssociation CodePsychologistsPatient identityEthical principlesOrganizational mandatesDocumentationGeneral principlesArticleDilemmaQuestionsExperienceLittle guidanceLeveraging Electronic Health Records to Assess Residential Mobility Among Veterans in the Veterans Health Administration
Wang K, Hendrickson Z, Miller M, Abel E, Skanderson M, Erdos J, Womack J, Brandt C, Desai M, Han L. Leveraging Electronic Health Records to Assess Residential Mobility Among Veterans in the Veterans Health Administration. Medical Care 2024, 62: 458-463. PMID: 38848139, DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000002017.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVeterans Health AdministrationElectronic health recordsResidential addressesHealth recordsHealth AdministrationLeveraging electronic health recordsInfluence health care utilizationVeterans Health Administration dataAssociations of sociodemographicsHealth care utilizationHealth care systemPatient's residential addressCross-sectional analysisGeneralized logistic regressionCare utilizationHealth systemResidential mobilitySubstance use disordersCare systemPatient's residenceLogistic regressionVeteransMultinomial outcomesHealthOddsEfficacy of life goals collaborative care for bipolar disorder: A systematic review
Miller C, Bailey H, Abel E, Burgess C, Connolly S, Franz A, Smith E, Bauer M. Efficacy of life goals collaborative care for bipolar disorder: A systematic review. Journal Of Affective Disorders 2024, 359: 356-363. PMID: 38754598, DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.05.058.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchLife Goals Collaborative CareCollaborative chronic care modelReview of randomized controlled trialsSystematic reviewCollaborative careChronic Care ModelQuality of life domainsSystematic review of randomized controlled trialsMental health conditionsAvailability of effective treatmentConduct subgroup analysesBipolar disorderRandomized controlled trialsCare modelCare componentsStructured careHealth systemOutcome domainsStudy qualityHealth conditionsHealthcare systemAssociated with statistically significant effectsInclusion criteriaControlled trialsCareVariation in Uptake of Specialist Palliative Care Among People with Advanced Heart Failure Across VA Medical Centers
Zhan Y, Han L, Abel E, Akgun K, Redeker N, Feder S. Variation in Uptake of Specialist Palliative Care Among People with Advanced Heart Failure Across VA Medical Centers. Journal Of Pain And Symptom Management 2024, 67: e551-e552. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2024.02.339.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSpecialist palliative careVA Medical CenterDepartment of Veterans AffairsPalliative careVeterans AffairsRandom intercept multilevel logistic regressionPalliative care deliveryDelivery characteristicsMedical CenterMultilevel logistic regressionCare deliveryICD-9/10 codesAdvanced heart failureRetrospective cohort studyHealth careModifiable factorsCareTeam staffingCohort studyHeart failureLogistic regressionImplementation effortsIdentified factorsICD-9/10Study findingsVariation in Specialist Palliative Care Reach and Associated Factors Among People With Advanced Heart Failure in the Department of Veterans Affairs
Feder S, Han L, Zhan Y, Abel E, Akgün K, Fried T, Ersek M, Redeker N. Variation in Specialist Palliative Care Reach and Associated Factors Among People With Advanced Heart Failure in the Department of Veterans Affairs. Journal Of Pain And Symptom Management 2024, 68: 22-31.e1. PMID: 38561132, PMCID: PMC11168897, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2024.03.022.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchOutpatient specialist palliative careSpecialist palliative careVeterans Affairs Medical CenterPalliative careSpecialist palliative care consultationRandom intercept multilevel logistic regressionDepartment of Veterans AffairsMultilevel logistic regressionAffairs Medical CenterClinical practice guidelinesICD-9/10 codesAdvanced heart failureRetrospective cohort studyVeterans AffairsOutpatient palliativeOutpatient deliveryPractice guidelinesCohort studyLogistic regressionCardiology involvementDelivery characteristicsAssociated factorsMedical CenterIdentified factorsICD-9/10
2023
USING MULTI-LEVEL MODELING TO EXAMINE RACIAL DISPARITIES IN PALLIATIVE CARE AMONG OLDER ADULTS WITH HEART FAILURE
Han L, Abel E, Zhan Y, Akgün K, Feder S. USING MULTI-LEVEL MODELING TO EXAMINE RACIAL DISPARITIES IN PALLIATIVE CARE AMONG OLDER ADULTS WITH HEART FAILURE. Innovation In Aging 2023, 7: 1149-1150. PMCID: PMC10736640, DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igad104.3689.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAdvanced heart failureVeterans Affairs Medical CenterSpecialist palliative careHeart failureOlder adultsWhite raceGuideline-concordant careICD-9/10 codesService delivery characteristicsAHF cohortSPC servicesPalliative careBlack raceMedical CenterLogistic regressionSocioeconomic disparitiesFacility characteristicsRacial disparitiesPersistent disparitiesAdultsRandom interceptDelivery characteristicsConventional logistic regressionCareEquitable accessLong-term opioid therapy trajectories and overdose in patients with and without cancer.
Merlin J, Black A, Midboe A, Troszak L, Asch S, Bohnert A, Fenton B, Giannitrapani K, Glassman P, Kerns R, Silveira M, Lorenz K, Abel E, Becker W. Long-term opioid therapy trajectories and overdose in patients with and without cancer. BMJ Oncology 2023, 2: e000023. PMID: 38259328, PMCID: PMC10802123, DOI: 10.1136/bmjonc-2022-000023.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchLong-term opioid therapyVeterans Health Administration databaseRetrospective cohort studyCornerstone of managementOpioid overdose riskHealth Administration databaseOpioid-related overdosesPresence of cancerRole of cancerOpioid receiptOpioid therapyCohort studyConclusions PatientsMost patientsObjective painOpioid risksDose/Opioid overdoseOverdose riskInternational ClassificationLower riskPatientsEffect of trajectoriesCancerAdministration databaseValidation of Electronic Health Record-Based Algorithms to Identify Specialist Palliative Care Within the Department of Veterans Affairs
Feder S, Zhan Y, Abel E, Smith D, Ersek M, Fried T, Redeker N, Akgün K. Validation of Electronic Health Record-Based Algorithms to Identify Specialist Palliative Care Within the Department of Veterans Affairs. Journal Of Pain And Symptom Management 2023, 66: e475-e483. PMID: 37364737, PMCID: PMC10527602, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2023.06.023.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSpecialist palliative careInpatient encountersCurrent Procedural TerminologyPalliative careICD-9/ICDICD-9/10 codesCohort of peopleVeterans Affairs facilitiesStop codeNegative predictive valueElectronic health recordsChart reviewHeart failureAdministrative databasesSpecific clinicPredictive valueICD codesProcedural TerminologyVeterans AffairsOutpatientsHealth recordsAdministrative dataReference standardCareConsultationAssociation between early nonpharmacological management and follow-up for low back pain in the veterans health administration
Coleman B, Lisi A, Abel E, Runels T, Goulet J. Association between early nonpharmacological management and follow-up for low back pain in the veterans health administration. North American Spine Society Journal (NASSJ) 2023, 14: 100233. PMID: 37440983, PMCID: PMC10333712, DOI: 10.1016/j.xnsj.2023.100233.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchLow back painNonpharmacologic managementBack painVeterans Health Administration patientsFirst yearCommon reasons individualsObservational cohort studyProportional hazards regressionElectronic health record dataVeterans Health AdministrationPositive clinical outcomesHealth record dataDay of entryClinical covariablesCohort studyClinical outcomesNonpharmacological managementHazards regressionHealth cohortPatient groupPrimary interventionStudy populationBackground LowHealth AdministrationPatients
2022
Incidence and Trends in the Use of Palliative Care among Patients with Reduced, Middle-Range, and Preserved Ejection Fraction Heart Failure
Feder SL, Murphy TE, Abel EA, Akgün KM, Warraich HJ, Ersek M, Fried T, Redeker NS. Incidence and Trends in the Use of Palliative Care among Patients with Reduced, Middle-Range, and Preserved Ejection Fraction Heart Failure. Journal Of Palliative Medicine 2022, 25: 1774-1781. PMID: 35763838, PMCID: PMC9784595, DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2022.0093.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPalliative careEjection fractionHeart failureHF subtypesIncidence rateEjection fraction heart failureMid-range ejection fractionRetrospective cohort studyKaplan-Meier analysisClinical practice guidelinesCare of patientsMean survival timePalliative needsCohort studyHF diagnosisHFpEFHFmEFPractice guidelinesSurvival timePatientsSix weeksVeterans AffairsSubtypesHFrEFCare
2021
Sex Differences in Use of a Clinical Complexity Measure to Predict Primary Care Utilization
Haskell SG, Han L, Abel EA, Bastian L, Driscoll M, Dziura J, Burg MM, Skanderson M, Brandt CA. Sex Differences in Use of a Clinical Complexity Measure to Predict Primary Care Utilization. Journal Of Women's Health 2021, 31: 71-78. PMID: 34388023, DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2021.0103.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPrimary care utilizationCare utilizationWomen veteransCare Assessment Need (CAN) scoreComplex high-risk patientsHigh-risk patientsRisk stratification toolPotential confounding factorsCorporate Data WarehouseSex differencesVA careVisit utilizationCare coordinationHigher oddsReproductive healthConfounding factorsVeterans AffairsPsychosocial variablesStrong associationQuintileWomenNeed scoresMenVeteransGood predictive accuracy