# Optimizing the Implementation of Whole Health Coaching for Veterans with COPD > **NIH VA IK2** · EDITH NOURSE ROGERS MEMORIAL VETERANS HOSPITAL · 2026 · — ## Abstract Background: VHA has committed to building the Whole Health system of care in which Veterans are empowered and equipped to pursue their best possible vision of health and well-being through self-care, conventional clinical care, and complementary and integrative health services. A key component of this system is Whole Health Coaching (WH-Coaching), a service that pairs Veterans with trained professionals who deliver extended, one-on-one support for setting and achieving personally meaningful health and well-being goals. WH Coaches are being increasingly integrated into Veteran care, yet very little guidance exists on the best practices for using this inherently “whole person” approach when coaching Veterans with complex clinical needs. With my background in qualitative research methods and implementation science, I am well-positioned to fill this gap in our knowledge. However, I still require additional training in theory-driven evaluation and complex systems approaches, quantitative research methods, co-design, and implementation/hybrid trials to succeed in the proposed study and my broader career goals. After pursuing mentored research and training as a CDA awardee, I will be well underway toward my career goal of becoming a nationally recognized VA researcher with expertise in implementing patient-centered care to improve the well-being and experiences with care for Veterans with complex chronic conditions. Significance/Impact: Implementing the Whole Health system of care is a major priority for VHA and VA, as reflected in VA’s FY2018-2024 and FY2022-2028 Strategic Plans, the 2019 VHA Modernization Plan, and the 2020 VHA Vision Plan. The proposed CDA will provide OPCC&CT and VHA with insights that will inform the ongoing rollout of WH-Coaching for years to come. By focusing on optimizing the implementation of WH- Coaching for Veterans with COPD, the study is also poised to improve the quality of care, experiences with care, and the quality of life for this large, ## Key facts - **NIH application ID:** 11193250 - **Project number:** 5IK2HX003538-03 - **Recipient organization:** EDITH NOURSE ROGERS MEMORIAL VETERANS HOSPITAL - **Principal Investigator:** Ekaterina Anderson - **Activity code:** IK2 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.) - **Funding institute:** VA - **Fiscal year:** 2026 - **Award amount:** — - **Award type:** 5 - **Project period:** 2023-09-01T00:00:00 → 2028-08-31T00:00:00 ## Primary source NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11193250 ## Citation > US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11193250, Optimizing the Implementation of Whole Health Coaching for Veterans with COPD (5IK2HX003538-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11193250. Licensed CC0. --- *[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*