Amal N. Trivedi|Regina Grebla|Steve Wright|D Washington
Despite Improved Quality Of Care In The Veterans Affairs Health System, Racial Disparity Persists For Important Clinical Outcomes
Providence VA Medical Center|Brown University|Brown University|VA Office of Research and Development|University of California, Los Angeles
government private health care systems engaged efforts improve quality effect initiatives racial ethnic disparities well studied decade following organizational transformation veterans affairs va health care system achieved substantial improvements quality care minimal racial disparities processofcare measures rates cholesterol screenings however study observed striking disconnect high levels performance widely used process measures modest levels improvement clinical outcomes control blood pressure blood glucose cholesterol levels also observed gap clinical outcomes much nine percentage points african american veterans white veterans almost disparity outcomes va explained withinfacility disparity suggests va medical centers need measure address racial gaps care patient populations moreover cardiovascular disease diabetes major contributors racial disparities life expectancy findings study others underscore urgency focused efforts improve intermediate outcomes among african americans va settings