# Characterization, Evaluation, and Implementation of Innovative TBI Intensive Evaluation and Treatment Programs (IETP)

> **NIH VA I50** · JAMES A. HALEY VA MEDICAL CENTER · 2022 · —

## Abstract

The Veterans Health Administration, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) National
Program Office developed five specialty Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers (PRC) to provide
comprehensive rehabilitation services for persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI). To date
effective dissemination and implementation of extant and emerging findings into clinical care for
individuals with TBI remains limited– specifically those with mild TBI (mTBI), restricting the VA’s
ability to maximize efforts to deliver care across the PRCs as a continuous learning healthcare
system. One program has yielded high visibility and high consumer demand – TBI Intensive
Evaluation and Treatment Program (IETP), an innovative modality for delivering evidence-based
care in a residential, inpatient format. IETP programs provide bundled evidence-based
assessment, treatment, referral, and case management practices in concordance with existing
guidelines for mild TBI and common co-occurring comorbidities. To date, there has been no formal
characterization or evaluation of the IETP residential program modality to understand facilitators
and barriers to spread the unique elements that create higher consumer demand (for the
successful program at one site) across the system of care. The goal of the PM&R National
Program Office is to facilitate the implementation of the high consumer demand IETP at a single
site to all VA PRCs. The short-term goal of this partnered evaluation is to fully characterize the
innovative modality (TBI-IETP), quantify outcomes, and understand the facilitators and barriers to
spread the program across the system of care. The long-term goal is to fully implement the
effective components of the program across the PM&R system of care at all five of the PRCs. This
three-year concurrent mixed-method partnered evaluation initiative will employ a Community
Based Participatory Approach to conduct the following aims: Aim 1: Describe TBI-IETP services
and state of implementation of these services in each of the five PRCs to identify opportunities for
adaptation and scale. In Aim 1, we will use qualitative observations, semi-structured interviews and
focus groups to describe PRC members and DoD representatives’ experiences and suggestions
for implementing TBI-IETP; and patient’s experiences and needs with TBI-IETP. Findings will
identify TBI-IETP core aspects and identify implementation readiness. Aim 2: Characterize the
relationship between patient characteristics, clinical services and outcomes for TBI-IETP patients
with traumatic brain injury across multiple outcome domains, including trajectories of recovery. In
Aim 2 we will use primary data collection from TBI-IETP participants at each site to best
characterize long-term outcomes and patient satisfaction with treatment, and secondary data to
quantitatively characterize patient level and care system level data. Findings will evaluate the
clinical impact of TBI-IETP components. Aim 3: Develop and deliver an impl...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10415392
- **Project number:** 1I50HX003441-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** JAMES A. HALEY VA MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Jolie N. Haun
- **Activity code:** I50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-10-01 → 2024-09-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10415392

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10415392, Characterization, Evaluation, and Implementation of Innovative TBI Intensive Evaluation and Treatment Programs (IETP) (1I50HX003441-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10415392. Licensed CC0.

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