Brain Health Coordinating Center

The Brain Health Coordinating Center (BHCC) is an exciting new initiative with the primary goal of serving as an enterprise-wide resource for improving brain health for Veterans across the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This will be accomplished through leveraging existing tools (e.g., eMetrics, VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines) to facilitate better Veteran brain health via the following:

• Engagement – Strengthening communication and collaboration across the VA community and with external partners
• Quality Improvement – Advancing best clinical practices through continuous, data-informed improvement
• Research – Supporting innovative investigations that drive better outcomes
• Education – Enhancing clinical knowledge and practice through ongoing learning

About Us

• Mission (Initial): Enhance VHA’s Learning Health System by creating an integrated Brain Health Network facilitated by a Coordinating Center and Targeted Network Sites to promote clinical-research interactions in the area of Veteran Brain Health.
• Goal: The overarching goal will be to develop strategies to facilitate implementation of evidence-based care using existing tools (e.g., electronic medical record, clinical reminders, metrics, research).

The Brain Health Network and Coordinating Center will support, not replace program offices or operational functions.

With the goal of enhancing patient care and improving Veteran brain health, as well as function and quality of life BHCC Leadership work closely with members of the Executive Committee, Clinical Advisory Board, and Veterans Engagement Board.

We are in the process of assembling the following boards:

• Executive Committee
• Clinical Research Advisory Board
• Veterans Engagement Board

Partnerships

The BHCC is also part of the larger initiatives under the TBI Actively Managed Portfolio (AMP), and partners with the following programs:

Clinical Health Imaging Portability Standards (CHIPS): All magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners have some errors in their measurements, so results may vary from scanner to scanner. CHIPS will assess MRIs completed on different scanner models to make the scans more comparable. This will hopefully help create a more efficient way of gathering the same imaging data for a patient regardless of the scanner used.

Long-Term Impact of Military-Relevant Brain Injury Consortium Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium (LIMBIC CENC): LIMBIC-CENC serves as the comprehensive research network for DoD and VA that focuses on the long-term effects of combat-related and military-relevant mild TBI. The Consortium is designed to conduct research that provides clinically relevant answers and interventions for current Service members and Veterans and to develop the long-term solutions to the chronic effects of mTBI.

The Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS): TRACTS is a Research & Development National Center for TBI Research. It will ultimately help the VA develop more helpful treatments for returning Veterans. Their studies have been carefully designed to understand the complex changes in the brain, thinking, and psychological well-being that result from TBI and PTSD. These studies will lead to more understanding and better treatment options returning veterans with TBI and PTSD.

Polytrauma/TBI System of Care Intensive Evaluation and Treatment Program (IETP): The IETP provides specialized integrated rehabilitation care for eligible Veterans, Special Operations Forces and Conventional Service members with a complex history of multiple TBIs, numerous body injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder, and emotional dysregulation to improve health and wellness, including managing outcomes associated with pain, function, participation, and mental health.

VA Office of Research and Development Open Field Blast Center: These services include: 1) open field blast exposure, 2) neurobehavioral assessment, 3) neuroimaging assessment, and 4) ocular assessment. To support the open field blast exposure component of the OFBC, the Truman VA utilizes the facilities, equipment, and specially trained technical staff of MU S&T. The services include: Scope and Methodology The scope of this agreement shall include all aspects of the blast performance (facilities, personnel, oversight/regulatory bodies, etc.). Tasks and Associated Deliverables Facility and equipment maintenance Personnel training and management Compliance with applicable (local, state, & federal) oversight bodies related to explosives, animal use and safety, controlled substances, and personnel safety.

PRE Clinical Interagency reSearch resourcE-TBI (PRECISE-TBI): The mission of the Preclinical TBI Model Catalog Project is to improve clinical translation of therapeutics by providing an online catalog and standardized protocols to reduce the variability of model usage between laboratories. The goal of the model catalog is to enhance reproducibility of preclinical TBI research by increasing the ability of researchers to find and access preclinical TBI model papers.