From understanding health care provider behavior to improving health care - The QUERI framework for quality improvement

Basic science and health care research provide the evidence base for the sc ientific practice of medicine. Over the past 2 decades, as increasingly ref ined tools for improving health and health care have been developed, the he alth care community has attempted to bridge the gap between available tools and actual health care practices. This gap can be bridged only by influenc ing health care provider behavior. The VA Quality Enhancement Research Init iative (QUERI) is a program designed to systematically translate research f indings into better health care practices, and thus better health outcomes for enrolled veterans. Integrating provider behavior research consideration s and findings into each step of the QUERI process will enhance the effecti veness of the initiative. This article presents a provider behavior researc h framework for planning, implementing, and evaluating quality improvement interventions within QUERI.