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VIONE - Medication Optimization and Polypharmacy Reduction Initiative

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VIONE is a clinician and patient-friendly methodology - VIONE (Vital, Important, Optional, Not needed, Every medication has an indication) used by physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and pharmacists to address polypharmacy risk. VIONE is an option for review of medications consistent with Age Friendly 4 Ms. It has global relevance and offers a viable solution to polypharmacy while improving patient safety and quality of life. VIONE indirectly facilitates a greener environment and decreases preventable adverse polypharmacy related outcomes across the continuum of clinical care. It exemplifies concepts of High Reliability Organizations.

This innovation is scaling widely with the support of national stakeholders. See more scaling innovations.

Adoptions:

138 successful, 2 in-progress

Awards and Recognition:

Diffusion of Excellence Promising Practice, Gears of Government Winner, VHA Shark Tank Winner, FY 2022 HeRO team award, International Hospital Federation's Austco Excellence Award, ... Diffusion of Excellence Promising Practice, Gears of Government Winner, VHA Shark Tank Winner, FY 2022 HeRO team award, International Hospital Federation's Austco Excellence Award, National Diffusion Award

Partners:

Academic Affiliations, Clinical Services, Diffusion of Excellence, Discovery, Education, and Affiliate Networks, Geriatrics and Extended Care, Health Services Research & Development

Contact Team

Overview

Problem

Medication Deprescribing, while an essential component of medication management, is an optional practice in most clinical practices. A wide spectrum of medication related adverse outcomes prevail. High Reliability Organizations (HRO) concepts are consistently promoted. VIONE illustrates an excellent cross walk between both. VIONE has been successfully launc ... See more

Solution

VIONE is a practical methodology designed to facilitate a patient-centered approach to optimizing medication therapy and reducing potentially inappropriate medications. The VIONE Community provides a supportive network of experts and web-based analytics tools such as the VIONE Risk Score Card, VIONE PIM Deprescribing Dashboard, and National Implementation D ... See more

Results

As of September 29, 2024, in 138 VA medical center programs, over 2,600,000 unique prescription orders have been discontinued for ~ 1,000,000 Veterans with an estimated annualized cost avoidance of $260 million dollars. You can track the VIONE Community's progress with the VIONE National Implementation Dashboard (linked below).

Links

Diffusion tracker

Does not include Clinical Resource Hubs (CRH)

Statuses

AL: Birmingham VA Medical Center (Birmingham, Alabama)
  • Started adoption on 10/2019, ended on 01/2020.
AL: Central Alabama VA Medical Center-Montgomery (Montgomery)
  • Started adoption on 12/2019, ended on 03/2020.
AL: Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center (Tuscaloosa)
  • Started adoption on 01/2020, ended on 04/2020.
AR: Eugene J. Towbin Healthcare Center (North Little Rock)
  • Started adoption on 02/2016, ended on 05/2016.
AR: Fayetteville VA Medical Center (Fayetteville, Arkansas)
  • Started adoption on 03/2019, ended on 06/2019.
AR: John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans' Hospital (Little Rock, Arkansas)
  • Started adoption on 03/2019, ended on 06/2019.
AZ: Carl T. Hayden Veterans' Administration Medical Center (Phoenix, Arizona)
  • Started adoption on 08/2019, ended on 11/2019.
AZ: Flagstaff VA Clinic (Flagstaff) AZ: Tucson VA Medical Center (Tucson) CA: Fresno VA Medical Center (Fresno)
  • Started adoption on 12/2019, ended on 03/2020.
CA: Jennifer Moreno Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (San Diego, California) CA: Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans' Hospital (Loma Linda, California)
  • Started adoption on 07/2022, ended on 09/2022.
CA: Los Angeles VA Clinic (Los Angeles) CA: Palo Alto VA Medical Center (Palo Alto, California)
  • Started adoption on 05/2020, ended on 07/2020.
CA: Sacramento VA Medical Center (Sacramento)
  • Started adoption on 11/2019, ended on 02/2020.
CA: San Francisco VA Medical Center (San Francisco)
  • Started adoption on 08/2019, ended on 11/2019.
CO: Grand Junction VA Medical Center (Grand Junction, Colorado)
  • Started adoption on 04/2019, ended on 07/2019.
CO: Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center (Aurora Rocky Mountain)
  • Started adoption on 04/2019, ended on 07/2019.
CT: West Haven VA Medical Center (West Haven) DC: Washington VA Medical Center (Washington, District of Columbia) DE: Wilmington VA Medical Center (Wilmington, Delaware)
  • Started adoption on 10/2019, ended on 01/2020.
FL: C.W. Bill Young Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Bay Pines)
  • Started adoption on 07/2022, ended on 09/2022.
FL: James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital (Tampa, Florida) FL: Malcom Randall Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Gainesville) FL: Miami Flagler VA Clinic (Miami Flagler) FL: Orlando VA Medical Center (Orlando) FL: West Palm Beach VA Medical Center (West Palm Beach)
  • Started adoption on 07/2022, ended on 01/2023.
GA: Augusta VA Medical Center-Uptown (Augusta Uptown)
  • Started adoption on 07/2022, ended on 06/2023.
GA: Carl Vinson Veterans' Administration Medical Center (Dublin) GA: Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center (Atlanta, Georgia)
  • Started adoption on 10/2021, ended on 09/2022.
HI: Spark M. Matsunaga Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Honolulu)
  • Started adoption on 09/2019, ended on 12/2019.
IA: Des Moines VA Medical Center (Des Moines, Iowa)
  • Started adoption on 09/2022, ended on 05/2023.
IA: Iowa City VA Medical Center (Iowa City, Iowa)
  • Started adoption on 08/2017, ended on 11/2017.
ID: Boise VA Medical Center (Boise)
  • Started adoption on 10/2023, ended on 12/2023.
IL: Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (North Chicago)
  • Started adoption on 10/2019, ended on 01/2020.
IL: Danville VA Medical Center (Danville, Illinois) IL: Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Started adoption on 03/2020, ended on 05/2020.
IL: Marion VA Medical Center (Marion, Illinois)
  • Started adoption on 09/2018, ended on 12/2018.
IN: Fort Wayne VA Medical Center (Fort Wayne) IN: Marion VA Medical Center (Marion, Indiana)
  • Started adoption on 11/2019, ended on 02/2020.
IN: Richard L. Roudebush Veterans' Administration Medical Center (Indianapolis, Indiana) KS: Colmery-O'Neil Veterans' Administration Medical Center (Topeka)
  • Started adoption on 06/2018, ended on 09/2018.
KS: Dwight D. Eisenhower Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Leavenworth)
  • Started adoption on 04/2018, ended on 07/2018.
KS: Robert J. Dole Department of Veterans Affairs Medical and Regional Office Center (Wichita)
  • Started adoption on 04/2018, ended on 07/2018.
KY: Franklin R. Sousley Campus (Lexington Leestown)
  • Started adoption on 05/2019, ended on 08/2019.
KY: Robley Rex Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Louisville)
  • Started adoption on 10/2021, ended on 02/2022.
LA: Alexandria VA Medical Center (Alexandria, Louisiana)
  • Started adoption on 01/2019, ended on 04/2019.
LA: New Orleans VA Medical Center (New Orleans)
  • Started adoption on 03/2018, ended on 06/2018.
LA: Overton Brooks Veterans' Administration Medical Center (Shreveport)
  • Started adoption on 09/2018, ended on 12/2018.
MA: Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans' Hospital (Bedford)
  • Started adoption on 09/2021, ended on 11/2021.
MA: Edward P. Boland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Central Western Massachusetts)
  • Started adoption on 08/2023, ended on 12/2023.
MA: Jamaica Plain VA Medical Center (Jamaica Plain)
  • Started adoption on 10/2021, ended on 11/2022.
MD: Baltimore VA Medical Center (Baltimore)
  • Started adoption on 11/2019, ended on 02/2020.
ME: Togus VA Medical Center (Togus)
  • Started adoption on 04/2020, ended on 07/2020.
MI: Aleda E. Lutz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Saginaw, Michigan)
  • Started adoption on 12/2019, ended on 03/2020.
MI: Battle Creek VA Medical Center (Battle Creek) MI: John D. Dingell Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Detroit)
  • Started adoption on 01/2019, ended on 04/2019.
MI: Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Kettles VA Medical Center (Ann Arbor) MN: Minneapolis VA Medical Center (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
  • Started adoption on 05/2020, ended on 04/2023.
MN: St. Cloud VA Medical Center (St. Cloud)
  • Started adoption on 02/2023, ended on 04/2023.
MO: Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital (Columbia, Missouri)
  • Started adoption on 10/2017, ended on 01/2018.
MO: John J. Cochran Veterans Hospital (St. Louis John Cochran)
  • Started adoption on 05/2018, ended on 08/2018.
MO: John J. Pershing Veterans' Administration Medical Center (Poplar Bluff)
  • Started adoption on 07/2018, ended on 10/2018.
MO: Kansas City VA Medical Center (Kansas City, Missouri)
  • Started adoption on 09/2017, ended on 12/2017.
MS: Biloxi VA Medical Center (Biloxi)
  • Started adoption on 01/2019, ended on 04/2019.
MS: G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Jackson, Mississippi)
  • Started adoption on 04/2018, ended on 07/2018.
MT: Fort Harrison VA Medical Center (Fort Harrison)
  • Started adoption on 06/2019, ended on 09/2019.
NC: Charles George Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Asheville)
  • Started adoption on 11/2019, ended on 02/2020.
NC: Durham VA Medical Center (Durham) NC: Fayetteville VA Medical Center (Fayetteville, North Carolina) NC: W.G. (Bill) Hefner Salisbury Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Salisbury) ND: Fargo VA Medical Center (Fargo)
  • Started adoption on 03/2023, ended on 04/2023.
NE: Grand Island VA Medical Center (Grand Island)
  • Started adoption on 03/2023, ended on 06/2023.
NE: Lincoln VA Clinic (Lincoln, Nebraska)
  • Started adoption on 03/2023, ended on 06/2023.
NE: Omaha VA Medical Center (Omaha, Nebraska)
  • Started adoption on 02/2023, ended on 04/2023.
NH: Manchester VA Medical Center (Manchester)
  • Started adoption on 05/2023, ended on 08/2023.
NJ: East Orange VA Medical Center (East Orange)
  • Started adoption on 07/2022, ended on 09/2022.
NM: Raymond G. Murphy Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Albuquerque)
  • Started adoption on 09/2022, ended on 11/2022.
NV: North Las Vegas VA Medical Center (North Las Vegas)
  • Started adoption on 01/2018, ended on 04/2018.
NV: Reno East VA Clinic (Reno East) NY: Batavia VA Medical Center (Batavia)
  • Started adoption on 11/2019, ended on 02/2020.
NY: Bath VA Medical Center (Bath)
  • Started adoption on 10/2019, ended on 01/2020.
NY: Buffalo VA Medical Center (Buffalo, New York)
  • Started adoption on 05/2019, ended on 08/2019.
NY: Canandaigua VA Medical Center (Canandaigua)
  • Started adoption on 10/2019, ended on 07/2020.
NY: Franklin Delano Roosevelt Hospital (Montrose, New York)
  • Started adoption on 07/2019, ended on 10/2019.
NY: James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Bronx) NY: Margaret Cochran Corbin VA Campus (Manhattan)
  • Started adoption on 10/2022, ended on 04/2023.
NY: Northport VA Medical Center (Northport)
  • Started adoption on 11/2019, ended on 02/2020.
NY: Riverhead VA Clinic (Riverhead)
  • Started adoption on 09/2019, ended on 12/2019.
NY: Samuel S. Stratton Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Albany, New York)
  • Started adoption on 12/2019, ended on 03/2020.
NY: Syracuse VA Medical Center (Syracuse)
  • Started adoption on 06/2019, ended on 10/2019.
OH: Cincinnati VA Medical Center (Cincinnati, Ohio)
  • Started adoption on 11/2019, ended on 02/2020.
OH: Cleveland VA Clinic-Euclid (Cleveland Euclid Avenue) OH: Columbus VA Clinic (Columbus Airport Drive)
  • Started adoption on 05/2020, ended on 07/2020.
OH: Dayton VA Medical Center (Dayton)
  • Started adoption on 09/2019, ended on 12/2019.
OK: Jack C. Montgomery Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Muskogee, Oklahoma)
  • Started adoption on 02/2019, ended on 05/2019.
OK: Oklahoma City VA Medical Center (Oklahoma City)
  • Started adoption on 02/2019, ended on 05/2019.
OR: Roseburg VA Medical Center (Roseburg) OR: White City VA Medical Center (White City)
  • Started adoption on 03/2020, ended on 05/2020.
PA: Butler VA Medical Center (Butler New Castle Road) PA: Coatesville VA Medical Center (Coatesville)
  • Started adoption on 12/2019, ended on 03/2020.
PA: Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
  • Started adoption on 11/2019, ended on 02/2020.
PA: Erie VA Medical Center (Erie) PA: James E. Van Zandt Veterans' Administration Medical Center (Altoona)
  • Started adoption on 07/2022, ended on 09/2022.
PA: Lebanon VA Medical Center (Lebanon)
  • Started adoption on 09/2023, ended on 10/2023.
PA: Pittsburgh VA Medical Center-University Drive (Pittsburgh)
  • Started adoption on 11/2019, ended on 02/2020.
PA: Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center (Wilkes-Barre)
  • Started adoption on 10/2019, ended on 01/2020.
PR: San Juan VA Medical Center (San Juan)
  • Started adoption on 04/2020, ended on 06/2020.
RI: Providence VA Medical Center (Providence)
  • Started adoption on 02/2022, ended on 12/2023.
SC: Ralph H. Johnson Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Charleston, South Carolina)
  • Started adoption on 04/2019, ended on 07/2019.
SC: Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Columbia, South Carolina)
  • Started adoption on 10/2019, ended on 01/2020.
SD: Fort Meade VA Medical Center (Fort Meade, South Dakota)
  • Started adoption on 02/2020, ended on 05/2020.
SD: Royal C. Johnson Veterans' Memorial Hospital (Sioux Falls)
  • Started adoption on 01/2022, ended on 03/2022.
TN: Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. VA Medical Center (Memphis) TN: Nashville VA Medical Center (Nashville)
  • Started adoption on 09/2022, ended on 12/2022.
TX: Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans' Hospital (San Antonio, Texas)
  • Started adoption on 09/2019, ended on 12/2019.
TX: El Paso Central VA Clinic (El Paso Central) TX: Harlingen VA Clinic (Harlingen)
  • Started adoption on 01/2022, ended on 03/2022.
TX: Michael E. DeBakey Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Houston)
  • Started adoption on 02/2019, ended on 05/2019.
TX: Olin E. Teague Veterans' Center (Temple)
  • Started adoption on 03/2020, ended on 05/2020.
TX: Thomas E. Creek Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Amarillo)
  • Started adoption on 02/2023, ended on 04/2023.
UT: George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Salt Lake City)
  • Started adoption on 06/2019, ended on 10/2019.
VA: Hampton VA Medical Center (Hampton)
  • Started adoption on 04/2020, ended on 06/2020.
VA: Richmond VA Medical Center (Richmond, Virginia)
  • Started adoption on 01/2023, ended on 03/2023.
VA: Salem VA Medical Center (Salem, Virginia) VT: White River Junction VA Medical Center (White River Junction)
  • Started adoption on 08/2022, ended on 11/2022.
WA: American Lake VA Medical Center (American Lake)
  • Started adoption on 09/2021, ended on 12/2021.
WA: Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center (Walla Walla)
  • Started adoption on 09/2021, ended on 11/2021.
WA: Mann-Grandstaff Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Spokane, Washington)
  • Started adoption on 03/2018, ended on 06/2018.
WI: Clement J. Zablocki Veterans' Administration Medical Center (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) WI: Tomah VA Medical Center (Tomah)
  • Started adoption on 04/2020, ended on 06/2020.
WI: William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans' Hospital (Madison)
  • Started adoption on 06/2019, ended on 09/2019.
WV: Beckley VA Medical Center (Beckley)
  • Started adoption on 10/2019, ended on 01/2020.
WV: Hershel "Woody" Williams VA Medical Center (Huntington, West Virginia)
  • Started adoption on 10/2019, ended on 01/2020.
WV: Louis A. Johnson Veterans' Administration Medical Center (Clarksburg) WV: Martinsburg VA Medical Center (Martinsburg)
  • Started adoption on 09/2019, ended on 12/2019.
WY: Cheyenne VA Medical Center (Cheyenne)
  • Started adoption on 03/2019, ended on 06/2019.
WY: Sheridan VA Medical Center (Sheridan)
  • Started adoption on 12/2018, ended on 03/2019.

There are no unsuccessful adoptions for this innovation.

Multimedia

Images

An Air Force Veteran tells Dr. Battar, “The lesser medicines I have to take, the better off I am.”

Videos

Dr. Battar delivers a fun and informative TED-style talk at the 2018 VHA Innovation Experience Conference.

Implementation

Timeline

  • Day 1
    Contact the VIONE Team at VAVIONE@va.gov
  • Weeks 1 and 2
    Recruit Team and Enlist Stakeholder Support
  • Weeks 3 and 4
    Establish VIONE Discontinuation Order Reasons, and VIONE Polypharmacy Note Template in CPRS with the help of your Clinical Applications Coordinator.
  • Weeks 3 and 6
    Attend Virtual VIONE Academy, or facility specific VIONE Education/Information meeting facilitated by VIONE Team.
  • Weeks 4 and 8
    Begin encounters with Veterans using VIONE methodology and track progress using the VIONE Discontinuation Dashboard, VIONE PIM Deprescribing Dashboard, or VIONE Implementation Dashboard.
  • Week 9
    Grow your VIONE footprint

Core Resources

Resource type Resource description
PEOPLE
  • Enthusiastic Leaders in any clinical practice area that will work to implement the VIONE program. Clinical, Pharmacy, and Nursing Leadership would be beneficial.

Files

Links

Support Resources

Files

Risks and mitigations

Risk Mitigation
Lack of buy-in Find a charismatic practice champion
Lack of funding, planning, and staff Use pre-implementation checklist to be sure the implementing site is adequately prepared. If not prepared, make adjustments and allocate resources prior to starting implementation.

Contact

Comment

Comments and replies are disabled for retired innovations and non-VA users.

VA User (Chief Nurse) Innovation adopter posted

This is great. I like it. We are very enthusiastic in this implementation

1
VA User (Director, Digital Experience & Strategy, VHA Digital Health Offi) Innovation owner posted

I'm calling myself an "honorary" practice team member. VIONE is an incredibly practical and impactful promising practice that is poised to become a VHA standard in clinical practice. It is also led by an amazing team.

3

Email

Email with questions about this innovation.

About

Origin story

As Chief of Geriatrics of Central Arkansas VA Health Care System in Arkansas, Dr. Sara Battar frequently observed patients transferred from acute to long-term care taking upwards of 15-20 medications despite known non-compliance and adverse effects. VIONE electronic CPRS tool was created and launched in February 2016 to help Veterans and staff identify and ... As Chief of Geriatrics of Central Arkansas VA Health Care System in Arkansas, Dr. Sara Battar frequently observed patients transferred from acute to long-term care taking upwards of 15-20 medications despite known non-compliance and adverse effects. VIONE electronic CPRS tool was created and launched in February 2016 to help Veterans and staff identify and reduce, taper or discontinue unnecessary, ineffective, or inappropriate medications. Initially launched on a 15 bed inpatient Geriatrics Sub acute rehab. unit and subsequently spread to primary care clinics, community living center and other areas within the facility.

Original team

Sara Swathy Battar

Medical Director, Geriatrics & Extended Care

Kimberly Dickerson, PharmD

VIONE Program Manager, CAVHS

Timothy Cmelik

Chief of Pharmacy, Little Rock VAMC

Chris Sedgwick, PharmD

VISN Pharmacy Analytics Program Manager

Margie Scott

Medical Center Director, Little Rock VAMC

Ashleigh Wallace-Lacey, PharmD

VISN Pharmacy Analytics Program Manager