Rehabilitation Research and Development Service
Encyclopedia
The Veterans Health Administration Office of Research and Development
's Rehabilitation Research and Development (RR&D) Service funds research to improve or restore function in veterans who have become disabled because of injury or disease. As the population of Veterans with disabilities increases, in part, due to improved survival following catastrophic events, the need for research increases.
The fundamental goal of rehabilitation is to maximize functional recovery. Additional goals include integrating the Veteran back into the family, work environment, and society. This often means teaching compensatory techniques; implementing innovative therapy interventions; and providing adaptive equipment, advanced prosthetic equipment, and neural prosthetic devices.
, orthopedics
, musculoskeletal disorders
, rehabilitation engineering
, chronic disease, dementias and psychiatric disorders, sensory systems, communication disorders, spinal cord injury
and dysfunction regeneration and restoration, neurological dysfunction, traumatic brain injury
, vocational rehabilitation, disabilities as a consequence of aging, and rehabilitation outcomes.
(JRRD) is a peer-reviewed rehabilitation journal
sponsored by RR&D. The journal is an international publisher of original research funded by both VA and outside sources. In support of the RR&D mission, JRRD disseminates research in 31 topic areas that will inform the treatment process, stimulate debate on healthcare challenges, and advance patient care.
As of June 2010, there are currently 14 COEs nationwide. Funding for COEs is for 5 years.
Veterans Health Administration Office of Research and Development
The Veterans Health Administration Office of Research and Development is the research and development agency of the Veterans Health Administration in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs...
's Rehabilitation Research and Development (RR&D) Service funds research to improve or restore function in veterans who have become disabled because of injury or disease. As the population of Veterans with disabilities increases, in part, due to improved survival following catastrophic events, the need for research increases.
The fundamental goal of rehabilitation is to maximize functional recovery. Additional goals include integrating the Veteran back into the family, work environment, and society. This often means teaching compensatory techniques; implementing innovative therapy interventions; and providing adaptive equipment, advanced prosthetic equipment, and neural prosthetic devices.
Program Scope
RR&D's areas of emphasis are broad and expansive, encompassing basic scientific research that has strong implications for translation into clinical practice, as well as rehabilitation strategies, interventions, and techniques, including prosthetic devices and the reintegration of Veterans into all facets of civilian life. Specific research areas include, but are not limited to, prosthetics, orthoticsOrthotics
Orthotics is a specialty within the medical field concerned with the design, manufacture and application of orthoses. An orthosis is an orthopedic device that supports or corrects the function of a limb or the torso...
, orthopedics
Orthopedics
Orthopedics is the study of the musculoskeletal system. The Greek word 'ortho' means straight or correct and 'pedics' comes from the Greek 'pais' meaning children. For many centuries, orthopedists have been involved in the treatment of crippled children...
, musculoskeletal disorders
Musculoskeletal disorders
Musculoskeletal disorders can affect the body's muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments and nerves. Most work-related MSDs develop over time and are caused either by the work itself or by the employees' working environment...
, rehabilitation engineering
Rehabilitation engineering
Rehabilitation engineering is the systematic application of engineering sciences to design, develop, adapt, test, evaluate, apply, and distribute technological solutions to problems confronted by individuals with disabilities...
, chronic disease, dementias and psychiatric disorders, sensory systems, communication disorders, spinal cord injury
Spinal cord injury
A spinal cord injury refers to any injury to the spinal cord that is caused by trauma instead of disease. Depending on where the spinal cord and nerve roots are damaged, the symptoms can vary widely, from pain to paralysis to incontinence...
and dysfunction regeneration and restoration, neurological dysfunction, traumatic brain injury
Traumatic brain injury
Traumatic brain injury , also known as intracranial injury, occurs when an external force traumatically injures the brain. TBI can be classified based on severity, mechanism , or other features...
, vocational rehabilitation, disabilities as a consequence of aging, and rehabilitation outcomes.
Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development
The Journal of Rehabilitation Research and DevelopmentJournal of Rehabilitation Research and Development
The Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development is a peer-reviewed open access medical journal published by the Rehabilitation Research and Development Service of the Veterans Health Administration Office of Research and Development. Itcovers research on rehabilitation medicine. It...
(JRRD) is a peer-reviewed rehabilitation journal
Academic journal
An academic journal is a peer-reviewed periodical in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as forums for the introduction and presentation for scrutiny of new research, and the critique of existing research...
sponsored by RR&D. The journal is an international publisher of original research funded by both VA and outside sources. In support of the RR&D mission, JRRD disseminates research in 31 topic areas that will inform the treatment process, stimulate debate on healthcare challenges, and advance patient care.
Merit Review Program
The RR&D Investigator-Initiated Research Merit Review Program is the principal mechanism for competitive funding of VA rehabilitation research. The program coordinates an independent panel of scientists who evaluate research proposals and provide funding recommendations based on the scientific merit and feasibility of the proposed research and the significance and importance of the proposed research to the RR&D mission.Centers of Excellence
RR&D Centers of Excellence (COEs) are specialized research units within various VA medical centers. The COE designation is awarded to facilities competitively, based on a scientific review of submitted proposals and the conformance with the following criteria: relevance of the proposed research to the Veteran population, capability of applicant to meet intended outcome of proposed research program, potential contribution of proposed research to the field of rehabilitation, long-term management of impairment, and impact on overall quality-of-life issues for Veterans with disabilities.As of June 2010, there are currently 14 COEs nationwide. Funding for COEs is for 5 years.
See also
- United States Department of Veterans AffairsUnited States Department of Veterans AffairsThe United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
- Journal of Rehabilitation Research and DevelopmentJournal of Rehabilitation Research and DevelopmentThe Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development is a peer-reviewed open access medical journal published by the Rehabilitation Research and Development Service of the Veterans Health Administration Office of Research and Development. Itcovers research on rehabilitation medicine. It...