BVARI’S STRATEGIC PLAN Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. 1 Nancy Watterson-Diorio, CEO 3 rd Annual Business Meeting August 12, 2011

PLAN PARTICIPANTS Marty Abramson (Strategic Planning Champion, BVARI Chairman) Nancy Watterson-Diorio (Increase Knowledge) Tom Flinn Ivette Arias (Centralize Business Support Services) Jeffrey Burd Janyce Sarmaniote (Financial Reporting) Paul Martin (Data Management) Dan Burke Others involved in process: Hieu Le, Madelyn Sierra (Facilitators), Christian Halmi (Meeting Enabler, Support), Ross Farley, Nicole Bourne, Jennifer Clark (Former Team Members), Anne McKinney (Guest) Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. 2

MISSION STATEMENT At the Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. (BVARI) our mission is To serve veterans by advancing quality healthcare through inquiry, innovation, and continuous achievement in research and education at the VA Boston Healthcare System. Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. 3

How Does BVARI define “serve?” Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. 4

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STRATEGY To accomplish this mission, BVARI will concentrate on the core of the strategy with the purpose to: –Inform –Communicate –Guide –Develop and continually improve upon BVARI’s best practices. Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. 6

CORE VALUES The Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. holds the following core values: –Good stewardship through the highest ethical standards. –Service through mutual respect and collaboration. –Excellence through quality, efficiency, and innovation. Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. 7

8 ENVISIONED FUTURE Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. Working together to be a world- class research institute serving our veterans and to be the standard of excellence by which VA non-profit research corporations are measured.

Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. 9 STRENGTHS BOD Support Affiliation with VA Research & Development Partnership with BVARI Grants management expertise Local presence at VA sites Motivational mission People (research and admin) Customer service Office morale/environment/supportive culture Leadership Financially sound (e.g. profitable) Agility – skills to adapt to various grant environments Hiring – ability to hire faster than other organizations Strong word of mouth reputation among PI’s

Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. 10 WEAKNESSES Transparency (both Internally: Within the functional departments, BOD and management; and, Externally: (PIs, academic affiliates and the Boston VA)) Space constraints Limited data collection and analysis provides fewer opportunities for fact-based decision making Technology is not fully employed to extract efficiencies (e.g. website, process automation, etc.) Constraints on which types of grants can be pursued Low profile/recognition amongst VA community

Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. 11 OPPORTUNITIES Academic, corporate and nonprofit collaborations (e.g. other NPC’s) Translation of research into effective medicine Research growth (e.g. Increased demand for extramural grant management if VA research funding is cut, subcontracts from collaborative grants, diversification of funding sources) VA volunteer usage Increased customer engagement with new PI’s (e.g. market grant opportunities based on areas of interest) Leverage technology (e.g. website, streamline work processes) Young workforce (under 40 years old) Partner with VA on compliance process, strategic planning, measurements, etc. Exposure

Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. 12 THREATS Dependence on VA resources Regulatory oversight (e.g. changes in legislation) Space constraints (VA) State of economy and its effects on funding availability Increased competition (e.g. leading NPC’s have better infrastructure and expertise, losing big revenue generating investigators or agencies, shifting research toward more time intensive/less profitable clinical trials vs. federal grants)

MISSION: To serve veterans by advancing quality healthcare through inquiry, innovation, and continuous achievement in research and education at the VA Boston Healthcare System VALUES STRATEGIC GOAL: To increase the number of Investigators served 25% by 2015 through offering quality cost- effective, full service support by actively partnering with the VA Community. VISION Internal Control Objectives GOAL 1: Financial Reporting GOAL 2: Increase Knowledge GOAL 3: Centralize Business Support Services GOAL 4: Data Management BVARI STRATEGIC PLAN

Goal 1: Financial Reporting 14 Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. Create streamlined financial reporting processes through the use of technology to increase satisfaction among Principal Investigators (PI).

MISSION: To serve veterans by advancing quality healthcare through inquiry, innovation, and continuous achievement in research and education at the VA Boston Healthcare System VALUES STRATEGIC GOAL: To increase the number of Investigators served 25% by 2015 through offering quality cost- effective, full service support by actively partnering with the VABHS Community. VISION Internal Control Objectives BVARI STRATEGIC PLAN – Goal 1: Financial Reporting STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES Develop budgets to manage spend “Real time” financial data Increase staff efficiency Extend to all grants GOALS BY YEAR Year 1 (2011): Develop communication tools Year 2 (2012): Internal budgets with “early adopters” Year 3 (2013): Roll out to all PIs, quantify active grants Year 4-5 ( ): Monitor satisfaction and technology PLAN METRICS % increase / decrease in budget overruns Reduce staff time to prepare reports by 50% “Hits” on portal pages by PIs and administrators Compare survey results for satisfaction levels

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Goal 1: CEO’s IDEAL STRATEGIES 18 Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. Develop and refine communication tools Complete internal budgets Create an early adopters group for sandbox testing Refine burn rate and P&L reporting Research new technology solutions Survey and monitor effectiveness Sustain/Measure/Improve

Goal 2: Increase Knowledge 19 Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. Increase PI’s and research administrator’s knowledge of the research and grant submission process and research compliance requirements, thus improving performance while reducing BVARI staff time.

MISSION: To serve veterans by advancing quality healthcare through inquiry, innovation, and continuous achievement in research and education at the VA Boston Healthcare System VALUES STRATEGIC GOAL: To increase the number of Investigators served 25% by 2015 through offering quality cost- effective, full service support by actively partnering with the VABHS Community. VISION Internal Control Objectives BVARI STRATEGIC PLAN – Goal 2: Increase Knowledge STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES Support PIs with training modules Outline BVARI best practices Develop on-line grant tools Institutionalize staff training GOALS BY YEAR Year 1 (2011): Create best practices plan Year 2 (2012): Research certificate program and create tools for training Years 3-5 ( ): Implement education plan and record for continued learning PLAN METRICS % training modules completed # trained per quarter % submissions rejected for non- scientific reasons BVARI admin time spent on submissions

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22 On-line Grant and Training Tools

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Goal 2 CEO’s IDEAL STRATEGIES 25 Boston VA Research Institute, Inc.  Create training and educational modules  Follow up laboratories to reinforce learning  On line grant tools  Schedule trainings  Invite speakers  Certificate program  Research new technology solutions  Survey and monitor effectiveness  Sustain/Measure/Improve

Goal 3: Centralize Business Support Services 27 Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. Centralize business support services to improve resource management and create a flow of consistent and up-to- date information for sustained growth and immediate, just-in-time information access.

MISSION: To serve veterans by advancing quality healthcare through inquiry, innovation, and continuous achievement in research and education at the VA Boston Healthcare System VALUES STRATEGIC GOAL: To increase the number of Investigators served 25% by 2015 through offering quality cost- effective, full service support by actively partnering with the VABHS Community. VISION Internal Control Objectives BVARI STRATEGIC PLAN – Goal 3: Centralize Business Support Services STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES Align support services to goals Create centralized location for sustainable resources Improve controls to modify ongoing services GOALS BY YEAR Year 1 (2011): Create centralized portal for up-to- date resources Year 2 (2012): Continue portal development then deploy to all stakeholders Year 3 (2013): Roll out to all PIs, quantify active grants Year 4-5 ( ): Monitor, review, and continue development PLAN METRICS % business areas available on portals Reduce customer complaints due to old / incorrect info % stakeholders covered on portals Reduce time for rework due to lack of transparency Increase transparency to BVARI processes

Goal 3 CEO’s Ideal Strategies 29 Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. Create policies and work flows and test internal effectiveness Create, Pilot and Test Portal for easy access to materials Advertise and market tools Solicit feedback Sustain/Measure/Improve

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Goal 4: Data Management 32 Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. Establish a standard of information management that can support streamlined financial reporting, improved efficiency, grant submission effectiveness, and consistent flow of up-to-date information by implementing data and process modeling practices.

MISSION: To serve veterans by advancing quality healthcare through inquiry, innovation, and continuous achievement in research and education at the VA Boston Healthcare System VALUES STRATEGIC GOAL: To increase the number of Investigators served 25% by 2015 through offering quality cost- effective, full service support by actively partnering with the VABHS Community. VISION Internal Control Objectives BVARI STRATEGIC PLAN – Goal 4: Data Management STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES Comprehensive data management platform Accessible data across departments Improve quality of data systems Standardize reporting for business planning GOALS BY YEAR Year 1 (2011): Implement integrated data model Year 2 (2012): Deploy data reporting and analysis across internal departments Years 3-5 ( ): Integrate data systems with greater VA systems wherever possible PLAN METRICS % reduction of manual reporting % stakeholder access to data systems % of GMLC performed on automated systems % of processes that can be monitored and measured

Information of interest 34 Boston VA Research Institute, Inc.

Comparative and Historic 35 Boston VA Research Institute, Inc.

Analytic – roll-up, drill- down 36 Boston VA Research Institute, Inc.

37 How do we get there? Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. Data Requirements Data Definitions Data Dictionary Data Normalization Data Relationships

What are we doing to get there? 38 Boston VA Research Institute, Inc.

What are we doing to get there? 39 Boston VA Research Institute, Inc.

Tools 40 Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. Data and dimensional modelingMind Mapping

41 Habits Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. Shine: Dust it off Sort: What are we using Set in Order: Sequence and Develop Work Flows Standardize: Build and Market the Process Sustain: Create the Policy

Goal 4 CEO’s IDEAL STRATEGIES 42 Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. Identify data elements Document requirements (fulfilling reporting requirements) Develop data models and analyze for better performance Deploy training and orientation to faculty and staff Survey and monitor effectiveness Sustain/Measure/Improve

43 Habits Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. Shine: Dust it off Sort: What are we using Set in Order: Sequence and Develop Work Flows Standardize: Build and Market the Process Sustain: Create the Policy

Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. 44 Suggestions, Edits, and/or Comments from the Executive Committee, BVARI Staff and Board of Directors