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Protected Time for Research

Protected Time for Research. Research Administrative Review Subgroup. Ali F. Sonel, MD, FACC, FACP. Managing Time for Research. How are VA investigators paid to do research? How can VA clinicians get protected time to do research?

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Protected Time for Research

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  1. Protected Time for Research Research Administrative Review Subgroup Ali F. Sonel, MD, FACC, FACP

  2. Managing Time for Research • How are VA investigators paid to do research? • How can VA clinicians get protected time to do research? • How are NIH grant budgets prepared for people who also get a salary from the VA? Ali F. Sonel, MD

  3. How are VA investigators paid to do research on VA grants? • Merit Review Awards • MDs • No direct salary support • Need Medical Center support • Non-MDs • Direct salary support within grant) • Career Development Awards • Salary support Ali F. Sonel, MD

  4. Managing Time for Research • Non-Physicians • Physicians (VHA Directive 2005-57) • Multiple roles (Direct patient care, education, research, administration) • Direct patient care pressures >>> research performance pressures? • Research is often not priority when time commitments conflict Ali F. Sonel, MD

  5. “More than 70 percent of research investigators are also clinicians whose dual roles allow the rapid application of research results to patient care.” Source: ORD Fact Sheet, ORD Web Site Ali F. Sonel, MD

  6. How to Fund Protected Time • VERA Research Allocation • Support for salary, administrative, and facilities costs • Often the basis for requesting protected time • Other MC Resources? Ali F. Sonel, MD

  7. COMBINED NIH AND VA SUPPORT • No dual compensation : VA and academic affiliate cannot pay for the same time • For example, one cannot be the recipient of a K award, which is supposed to pay for 75% protected research time, and be 8/8ths VA. Ali F. Sonel, MD

  8. VERA RESEARCH DOLLARS vs. NIH INDIRECT DOLLARS VERA Research dollarsNIH indirect dollars Based on grant expenditures Same using VA as performance site Based on data from 2 yrs ago Current year Must cover salaries + F&A Covers F&A only Rate = 43.3% Rate = 50% Based on discounted % Based on full amount of grant expenditures Ali F. Sonel, MD

  9. How much salary is covered by VERA $? Maximum Salary Allocation VERA$ rate Discount rate • VA grant: $100,000 x 100% x 43.3% = $43,300 • NIH grant: $100,000 x 75% x 43.3% = $32,475 • Industry: $100,000 x 25% x 43.3% = $10,833 Ali F. Sonel, MD

  10. Implementation Challenges • No firm guidance or policy for protected time • Allocation by Department/Service Line • ACOS/R&D often not consulted • Funding often not transparent • VERA dollars may be insufficient to fund adequate time • ACOS/R&D, investigators often unaware of the VERA funds generated per investigator • Lack of uniform implementation in special circumstances • Junior investigators • Bridging Ali F. Sonel, MD

  11. RESEARCH ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW • Governance (Randy Petzel) • Human Capital (Jack Hetrick, MEd) • Organization of Research Subgroup • Lead: Peggy Hannon • Recruitment and Retention Subgroup • Lead: John Vara, MD • Protected Time Subgroup • Lead: Ali Sonel, MD Ali F. Sonel, MD

  12. Protected Time Subgroup: Members • Ali Sonel, MD (ACOS/R&D, Pittsburgh) • Ralph Gigliotti, FACHE (MCD, Durham) • Martin Heyworth, MD (COS, Philadelphia) • Laurence Meyer, MD, PhD (ACOS/R&D, Salt Lake City) • Dean Norman, MD (COS, Los Angeles) • Bruce Sangeorzan, MD (Orthopedic Surgeon, Seattle) Ali F. Sonel, MD

  13. Managing Time for Research: Needs Identified by RAR Group What practices would be useful in managing time for research efforts? • Need concrete formula for linking research time to performance measures and formula for tracking VERA dollars to justify time spent in research • Need statement that VERA dollars can be used for research • Need guidelines that allow administrators to backfill positions based on number of VERA dollars coming in • Need enhanced use of study coordinators and other types of support staff to reduce researcher burden • Need examples of good practices for effective time management Ali F. Sonel, MD

  14. Performance Measures Initially Proposed by the RAR Group • Purpose of any measure is to track and improve research success, including productivity and compliance/integrity • Proposed 5 categories of measures: Content of researchAlignment with VHA research goals Human capital– Support for ACOSs, investigators, protected time, release time Infrastructure: Adequacy of research infrastructure Resources:Expenditure of VERA dollars and other funds Compliance: Minimum necessary compliance processes and staffing Ali F. Sonel, MD

  15. Possible Solutions • Transparency of research VERA funds • VERA calculations reevaluated • VA vs. NIH expenditures • Monitoring/Auditing of RDIS reports • Monitoring of protected time • ACOS/R&D • R&D Committee • Protected time as a performance measure • Guideline vs. Handbook for protected time for research • Explore changes to regulations prohibiting MD salary support for VA research awards Ali F. Sonel, MD

  16. Protected Time Allocation: Sample Ali F. Sonel, MD

  17. Protected Time Allocation: Sample Ali F. Sonel, MD

  18. Protected Time Allocation: Sample Ali F. Sonel, MD

  19. QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? Ali F. Sonel, MD

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