Veteran Engagement Panel
- About the Veteran Engagement Panel (VEP)
- Working with the VEP
- Meet the VEP Members
- Pain/Opioid CORE VEP Intranet Site (VA account required)
About the Veteran Engagement Panel (VEP)
The Pain/Opioid CORE Veteran Engagement Panel (VEP) is a group of 13 Veterans from across the country who work as patient advisors to VA researchers and other partners to advance patient-centered research and care. All VEP members have personal experience with chronic pain and/or opioids. Veteran members are a diverse group of men and women across a wide age range and backgrounds. Members include students, retirees, and current workers with varied military, volunteer, and professional experiences. The VEP aims to enhance Veteran-engaged research by providing an authentic perspective and constructive feedback on research projects to strengthen their impact.
The VEP can provide support throughout the research life cycle, from project proposal through publication. They provide feedback about study materials, barriers and facilitators to Veteran participation as well as brainstorming solutions to potential and actual challenges encountered by the research team. The VEP also helps inform how researchers share study findings to Veterans and the general public.
Read more about our VEP and our processes through the following articles:
- 2024 Learning Health Systems Article | Description of experiences and lessons learned from developing a national VEP
- 2024 VA Veterans' Perspectives Article | Engagement Panels Bring Veterans' Perspectives to Pain/Opioid AMP Research Priorities
- 2022 VA Veterans' Perspectives Article | Engagement Panel Brings Veterans' Perspectives to Health Services Research
Interested in meeting with the VEP? The panel is available as a complimentary resource to VA investigators and evaluators with a pain- or opioid-related topic. Limited prep work is required, and meetings are led by Pain/Opioid CORE staff. Review our FAQ for VA Researchers on Facilitating Veteran Engagement in Research to learn more about Veteran Engagement and our engagement process. Please contact Tracy Sides at [email protected] to learn more.