Transformation | Atlas Research 2014 Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT 2014

T R A N S F O R M AT I O N

2014 AT A GLANCE

2014 REVENUE

2013 REVENUE

98%

5

Growth in Revenue

NEW AREAS OF EXPERTISE

HEALTH OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT ENTERPRISE TRANSFORMATION LEARNING + PERFORMANCE QUALITY + INFORMATICS HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEMS

3

10% 45% CORPORATE AWARDS

of Atlas staff have terminal degrees (MD, PhD, JD)

of Atlas staff have Master’s Degrees

910

Our new office suite at 805 Fifteenth Street NW

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NEW PRACTICE AREAS

HEALTH MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS AND IMPROVEMENT

CONTENTS 2

A Transformational Year

4

Pursuing a New Vision of Health Care

7

Leveraging the Science of Learning to Improve Performance

HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEMS VA AND DoD INFORMATION INTEGRATION

500

SHIRTS

Donated for Volunteers at the Winterhaven Homeless Veteran Stand Down

X2

The size of Atlas staff nearly doubled in 2014

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CONTRACT VEHICLES

10

Eliminating Health Disparities

14

Translating Research Findings into Improved Practice and Outcomes

18

Promoting Operational Excellence

20

Integrating Information Technology

22

Engaging Key Audiences through Strategic Communications

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In the News

32

Leadership Services Contract Vehicles Populations We Serve

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A Transformational Year On this opening page of last year’s annual report, we made note of the welcome market clarity that began to arrive with the end of year passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, which brought to a close—at least temporarily—the crisis-driven budget battles that had consumed Congress for much of the prior three years. While there remained some lingering questions about the new federal contracting environment, the relative certainty that accompanied the two-year budget deal improved revenue visibility and returned some confidence to the sector in 2014, setting conditions for significant growth among firms that could remain nimble enough to seize new opportunities while increasing size and scale.

Atlas embodied those qualities and robust growth followed, at once transforming the company and expanding our capacity to support federal health clients in undertaking transformative initiatives of their own.

Mission-Driven Services We continued to perform work on mission-critical projects across the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). To name just a few, Atlas teams supported the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Connected Health Office with national roll out of web and mobile applications designed to improve Veteran care and service; provided PMO support to the VA Learning University (VALU) Learning Infrastructure Directorate; expanded communications support to the National Center for PTSD; and deployed consultants to VA hospitals to address access and improvement of care for Veterans enrolled in the nation’s largest integrated health system.

In 2014, Atlas’ work continued to expand across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). We continued our support for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and we received our first contract awards from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the area of HIV/AIDS prevention.

trans·for·m noun | a thorough or

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New Accessibility Counting new awards and IDIQs and exercised options, we had a total of 63 wins last year, resulting in nearly 100 percent revenue growth over 2013 and our sixth consecutive year topping the previous year’s revenue. That strong growth, coupled with a drive to achieve greater efficiency of operations and delivery of services, led to significant profitability gains that we reinvested in market-leading talent and infrastructure to drive more growth.

Corporate Citizenship We were privileged to be in a position to fulfill what we believe is our obligation to be good corporate citizens. Over the course of 2014, Atlas sponsored the Winterhaven Homeless Veteran Stand Down and the TAPS Honor Guard Gala, and provided free webinars for military caregivers. Atlas employees believe firmly in doing good and doing well. And, of course, we are always humbled when our peers in industry recognize the work of our talented employees: our communications team was a winner of the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals 2014 Gold AVA Digital Award for creativity and achievement in digital communications; and the company was also honored with the Small and Emerging Contractor Forum (SECAF) Project of the Year Award for work in support of VA efforts to end and prevent Veteran homelessness.

So it seems fair to say that Atlas has been transformed by the success we have had over the past year. But it is not the transformation embodied in the revenue growth, new talent, or even the excitement of moving into new corporate offices in downtown Washington, DC that best defines our 2014. Rather, it is an Atlas employee’s courageous fight with leukemia – and the Atlas family rallying to support her – that make us most proud. We dedicate this report and the promise of the year ahead to the memory of our friend and colleague, Erin Boyle.

Ryung Suh, MD, MPH, MBA, MPP Chief Executive Officer

Mark H. Chichester, JD President

a·tion

dramatic change in form

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PURSUING A NEW VISION OF

HEALTH CARE

In the landscape of a national health care system undergoing dramatic change, Atlas is at the forefront of large-scale transformation initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes, access to health services, and care delivery. We are a valued partner to health system leaders and policymakers, providing strategic insight and bridging health care delivery systems, public health, health care professionals, and researchers. Our rapidly expanding portfolio of projects supporting the Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) include a broad complement of enterprise-level strategic advisory services, regional- and facility-level assessment and technical assistance, and field-based support of priority populations.

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VETERANS AFFAIRS At the Vanguard of Change Atlas supported efforts to implement the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) budgetary processes for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the nation’s largest integrated health system. Working with a VHA integrated project team, Atlas reviewed current processes and developed a new future state framework and implementation plan for strategic and resource planning, budgeting, execution processes, and performance monitoring. The new framework will result in a more cohesive, structured process to ensure that constrained budget dollars are allocated to VHA’s most critical initiatives. Booz Allen Hamilton was a partner on this project.

In 2014, we continued providing support to the VA Interagency Warrior Care and Coordination Committee (IC3), performing on task orders to streamline and coordinate the care, benefits, and services provided to service members and their families as they transition from the

Department of Defense (DoD) to VA. The Atlas project team developed the Community of Practice Co-Lab on a SharePoint platform designed to help case managers better share information across firewalls and coordinate patient care. We provided strategic planning support, including communications planning, framework development and actionable steps for the Executive Secretariat, and metrics development.

The Atlas IC3 team was instrumental in helping VA and DoD establish the foundation for a seamless transition from active duty to VA care.

Quality Improvement at VA Hospitals and Clinics Atlas continued to engage in system-wide initiatives to improve care for Veterans enrolled in VHA. Our National VA Continuous Survey Readiness team traveled to 54 VA facilities in 2014, working in collaboration with Joint Commission Resources to provide VA staff with on-site consultation on Joint Commission standards, survey processes, national patient safety goals, core quality measures, and disease-

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expertise to operationalize model development through comprehensive literature classification, review, and qualitative and quantitative analysis; and Atlas experts led the construction of integrated health economic models using CMS datasets and public use files to forecast costs savings to payers and providers. Our work supported CMS’s goal to reduce program expenditures while maintaining or improving the quality of care for beneficiaries.

specific certifications. In additional to site visits, Atlas consultants provided ongoing virtual consultation on standards and compliance, custom education sessions, and compliance tools.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Innovation in Health Care Delivery and Finance As part of a team supporting the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO), Atlas consultants performed quality assurance on Health Insurance Marketplaces to ensure that consumers receive accurate, easily accessible information regarding eligibility and health insurance options under the new Marketplaces and Medicaid expansions. In partnership with Duty First Consulting, our team analyzed upward of 9,000 national health exchange plans and provided clinical support to CCIIO, with a primary focus on ensuring that health plan practices do not discriminate against individuals with elevated health care needs.

Atlas supported MITRE Corporation in the strategic development of new payment and service delivery models for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation New Model Portfolio Plan. Our health economists provided

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In 2014, Atlas worked with Abt Associates to conduct an environmental scan and gap analysis to assess the utility of outcome and process measures and recommendations for new metrics. The Quality Measure Development and Maintenance project also called for Atlas experts to evaluate the Home Health quality reporting and Home Health Compare reporting programs and develop consumer language regarding quality measures and ratings.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (DC) DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CARE FINANCE Home- and Community-Based Health Services for Local Elderly Populations The DC Department of Health Care Finance Long Term Care Administration contracted with Atlas to advise the agency on operationalizing participantdirected services (PDS) that support home and community-based assistance services for older adults. The project team developed strategies to reduce or eliminate legal, regulatory, and other barriers to execution; prepared comprehensive briefing papers; developed standards for PDS counseling; and advised on amendments to the current Elderly and Persons with Physical Disabilities (EPD) Waiver. n

LEVERAGING THE SCIENCE OF LEARNING TO

IMPROVE PERFORMANCE

Last year, Atlas helped clients meet a broad array of learning objectives by leveraging our strong ties to leading academic institutions and insights into target populations with our growing expertise in instructional design, adult learning, and learning technologies. We combined the science of learning with technologies and tools that enabled the team to provide clients with valuable alternatives to traditional training approaches.

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VETERANS AFFAIRS Mission Critical Learning and Performance Solutions During 2014, Atlas won prime contracts with two directorates within the VA Learning University (VALU). VALU is VA’s corporate university charged with supporting the agency’s mission and business objectives through high quality, costeffective, continuous learning and development that enhance leadership, occupational proficiencies, and personal growth. Under the first VALU contract, Atlas supported the Learning Infrastructure Directorate (LID) by providing strategic planning and project management

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support to LID leadership. Our team developed business plans for LID systems and services, establishing and implementing new risk and data quality management processes, and supporting projects to enhance VALU’s learning systems and their associated technologies, processes, performance, and quality controls. The second contract is an IDIQ with the Career and Employee Development Directorate (CEDD), under which VA procures support for development opportunities for VA employees. Atlas was awarded two task orders in 2014: one to develop a web-based tutorial to provide all VA employees with an orientation to virtual instructor-led training (VILT) courses; the other to develop a program to

Since 2011, we have worked with our partners to train and certify more than 27,000 caregivers.

prepare both supervisors and employees to work successfully in the face of the challenges involved in acclimating employees to telework and virtual settings.

Our learning and performance initiatives reached not just VA employees but also Veterans and their caregivers through continued work on the National Veterans Caregiver Training Program (NVCTP), which was established pursuant to the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010. In collaboration with Easter Seals, Atlas designed and implemented a training program for primary family caregivers of Veterans of all eras. The program was conceived to provide resources and training to the growing number of families facing the daunting challenge of caring for Veterans who have suffered serious injury. The Atlas caregiver training team began integrating the curriculum design into online platforms and coordinating with VA medical centers across the nation to teach self-care, personal care, stress management, technology, communication and problem solving, managing challenging behaviors, home safety, and caregiver skills. Since the NVCTP launched in 2011, we have worked with our partners to train and certify more than 27,000 caregivers. Courses are now offered online and through workbooks, and we are preparing to roll out an online curriculum in Spanish later this year.

We capped off 2014 with a contract award to continue provision of implementation and training of the Cision news management system for Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Public Affairs Officers and program communicators, who have the responsibility of supporting communications activities for 178 inpatient, residential, and extended care facilities and approximately 1,000 outpatient sites of care.

The Atlas team has trained and supported nearly 300 communicators who now actively use the Cision system for cloud-based media monitoring and management activities. We also created an online dashboard for high-level news monitoring by leaders and communicators in order to inform decision making and foster understanding and effective and consistent communication. n

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ELIMINATING

HEALTH DISPARITIES

Despite steady improvements in the nation’s overall health, disparities in the quality and availability of health care across population groups remain a challenge. Atlas was founded on a commitment to addressing the needs of priority populations, and that commitment continues today, reflected in both our community engagement and the growing number of portfolio projects for which achievement of health equity is the explicit goal. From homelessness, to HIV, to the unique health challenges that female Veterans face, our work informs practices and policies at the federal, state, and local levels, with the aim of eliminating complex and persistent disparities. We are a better, stronger company for our commitment to this work.

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VETERANS AFFAIRS Supporting VA Efforts to End and Prevent Veteran Homelessness Over the course of 2014, we expanded our support of VA efforts to end and prevent homelessness through evidence-based policies, programs, and best practices. While homeless rates are declining, Veterans still comprise nine percent of the 578,000+ homeless population, and nearly 1.5 million Veterans are at risk of homelessness due to poverty, lack of post-military support networks, substandard living conditions, and physical and mental health issues. In support of the shifting paradigm at VA that focuses on simultaneous rapid employment and housing as a solution to homelessness, Atlas provided program management, training, evaluation and assessment, and policy and planning support to the VA’s National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans.

For the Homeless Employment Coordinator Training Services project, Atlas and project partner Advocates for Human Potential deployed teams to 152 VA medical centers to connect Veterans with VA and/or community-based employment services. Our training consultants helped Homeless Services program staff identify gaps in employment services for homeless Veterans, develop employment opportunities, and coordinate community services.

VA awarded a contract to Atlas, and subcontractors Community Solutions and Rapid Results Institute, to lead the Twenty Five City Coordination to House Homeless Veterans (25 Cities Effort). The 25 Cities Effort is a key federal initiative through which 25 communities receive technical assistance and mobilize local planning efforts and partnerships to create effective systems for aligning housing and services interventions through coordinated systems to

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end homelessness. In partnership with VA, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), we assisted the 25 communities in accelerating and aligning existing efforts to create coordinated assessment and entry systems, laying the foundation for ending all homelessness in these communities.

Atlas drove high-level quality assurance and grant performance monitoring as part of the VA Staffing Support for Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program, which provided services to 115,000 homeless Veterans in 2014 and permanently housed a majority of program participants following the Housing First model.

The Atlas team (including Abt Associates and

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the Technical Assistance Collaborative) trained monitors to assess grant spending and community organization processes nationwide, ensuring compliance with program regulations and guidance.

Atlas also provided comprehensive project management and facilitation of local community organizations and social service agencies in support of the Benefits Assistance Support Services for At-Risk and Homeless Veterans (BASS), part of VA’s expanded resources for preventing and ending Veteran homelessness.

The goal was to empower local organizations to provide tailored services like housing assistance, job training, education, and health care to help Veterans live and maintain integrated and healthy

lives. Project partners included Binary Group, Single Stop, and Advocates for Human Potential.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Advancing Equity and Access In 2014, we continued our work with the Office of Minority Health at HHS, collaborating with stakeholders to draft and implement the National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities (NPA), which was established to close the health gap for the nation’s racial, ethnic, and underserved communities. We coordinated across more than a dozen federal agencies to better understand the causes of health disparities and developed strategies for NPA implementation at the state, regional, and national levels. Project partners included CommonHealth Action and the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors.

Also in support of the NPA, Atlas and partners CommonHealth Action and Democracy Collaborative worked on the Building Strategic Partnerships to Advance NPA Goals and Priorities project, with the aim of helping NPA explore opportunities to create public and private partnerships through the leveraging of federal and non-governmental resource streams. We worked with the Federal Interagency Health Equity Team to create health equity alignment fact sheets to demonstrate how select agency programs support health equity goals; developed a toolkit to educate youth on health disparities and the social determinants of health; and partnered with several universities to implement the toolkit.

The Office of Population Affairs (OPA) provides reproductive and family planning services to five million people across the country each year.

When OPA sought assistance with improvements to enhance program efficiency and compliance, the agency awarded a technical assistance support contract to Atlas. Our support focused on standardizing the program review process and supporting expert panels and national conferences to ensure broader sharing and

integration of evidence-based practices. With Atlas support, OPA proactively engaged the expertise and leveraged the communication infrastructure needed to advance the Title X program mission and the broader interests of OPA stakeholders.

In support of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and the White House priority of reducing HIV-related disparities, Atlas partnered with the Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy and Abt Associates to create a comprehensive inventory and descriptive analysis of all recent federal HIV/ AIDS and viral hepatitis programs, initiatives, policies, research, and activities serving, targeting, or significantly impacting gay and bisexual men of color. Through the design and deployment of quantitative and qualitative data collection approaches, we identified areas ripe for additional effort and collaboration among key stakeholders. n

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TRANSLATING RESEARCH FINDINGS

INTO IMPROVED PRACTICE AND OUTCOMES

We deepened our research capabilities over the past year, engaging in projects that enhanced health and well-being of priority populations by translating findings into improved practice and outcomes. The consistent thread running through our research is a commitment to the transfer of knowledge to support improved decision making.

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HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HIV Care and Prevention For the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an Atlas team (including Abt Associates) undertook a qualitative research study, Understanding Barriers and Facilitators Experienced by HIV Care Providers, to increase comprehension of the range of perspectives, motivations, and factors that affect HIV care providers and their ability to provide continuous and coordinated care to people living with HIV. Comprised of semi-structured interviews, document reviews, and facility observations to collect data from 30 HIV care providers in

Washington, DC, Atlanta, and Baltimore, the study’s outcomes will be critical in strengthening HIV prevention, care, and treatment for high risk patients. Our work observing the environment both within and immediately outside each facility revealed the potential effects of the physical environment on a patient’s interaction with the community of HIV care.

Atlas and Abt designed and conducted a second study for CDC which focused on the HIV epidemic and high-risk populations in Philadelphia. In support of the Local Effectiveness Assessment Project (LEAP), Atlas analyzed local HIV prevention and care efforts, barriers and facilitators to controlling the HIV epidemic among high-risk

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populations, and opportunities to improve the response to the HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM). Findings from in-depth key participant interviews, structured observations, and document reviews will inform the larger LEAP project and provide a critical link to other LEAP activities.

Career Development Program Evaluation For the Agency for Healthcare Research and

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Quality (AHRQ), Atlas and Abt employed a mixed-method evaluation approach in order to assess the return on investment of AHRQ’s Individual Career Development (K) Award Program. The K Program supports the Mentored Research Scientist Research Career Development Award (K01); the Independent Scientist Career Development Award (K02); and the Mentored Clinical Scientist Award (K08). Through this project we validated, recommended, and informed commonly used metrics for evaluating federal

Narrative medicine seeks to fortify clinical practice with the narrative competence to recognize, absorb, and interpret stories of illness.

training and career development investments, the outcomes and impact of the K programs, and their alignment with agency priorities.

VETERANS AFFAIRS Quality of Care To better serve women Veterans, one of the fastest growing demographics of enrollees in the Veterans health system, VA resolved to better understand women’s experiences with VA health programs, services, outreach, and communications. Under the VA Women’s Health Services Assessment of Comprehensive Health Care to Women Veterans contract, Atlas and partner Booz Allen Hamilton redesigned an existing scoring and assessment tool and deployed assessment teams to 24 facilities across the nation to identify and share best practices from model facilities and programs.

The District of Columbia VA Medical Center contracted with Atlas to manage a Narrative

Medicine Research Pilot initiative. Narrative medicine seeks to fortify clinical practice with the narrative competence to recognize, absorb, and interpret stories of illness. Atlas developed protocols for the pilot as well as a digital telephonic system that records Veterans’ narratives, and our research team studied the program’s impacts on patient care and satisfaction. Findings will inform improvements to the Medical Center’s patient-centered care practices. n

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PROMOTING

OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE

Federal health agencies—VA in particular—are under increasing scrutiny, challenged as perhaps never before to promote the delivery of consistently high quality, cost-effective care. Our clients count on our breadth and depth of management consulting capabilities to achieve operational efficiencies and attain essential business goals.

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VETERANS AFFAIRS Improving Organizational Performance As a subcontractor to Deloitte Consulting on VA’s SPECTRUM IDIQ contract for program and project management support, Atlas management consultants engaged across a diverse range of process and performance improvement task orders. We undertook an enterprise risk management engagement, helping stand up an office that identifies and anticipates potential risks that could impact VA’s large, diverse, and dispersed organizational environment. The Atlas team helped identify risks and established processes for risk monitoring and mitigation across a wide range of VA services and systems, including financial and grant management, facility management, IT services, and human resources.

We worked on a task order that called for onsite evaluation and support of VA medical center leadership across a range of areas, including

accountability and performance standards, care quality and patient safety monitoring, process improvement systems, education and training opportunities, knowledge transfer strategies, succession planning, and leadership impact on organizational culture. The work began with the Phoenix VA Medical Center and expanded to include medical centers in Columbia, South Carolina; Memphis, Tennessee; and Augusta, Georgia. Under SPECTRUM, we also supported the implementation of the Acquisition Program Management Framework (APMF), an approach designed to enhance VA’s ability to deliver business capabilities within scope and schedule. On that task order, Atlas performed project management support, transition planning, organizational change management, communications, and strategy execution. n

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INTEGRATING

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

In 2014, Atlas supported the deployment of transformation-enabling information technology (IT) solutions, working closely with business owners to reimagine how they create value and improve performance. Our clients affirmed the value of IT solutions rooted in deep domain expertise and understanding of the organizational contexts and imperatives that federal IT leaders must navigate. Our expertise in health, experience with underserved populations, and familiarity with priorities inside the client environment were essential elements of the growth of our IT services portfolio over the past year. We expect that those strengths will fuel continued growth in the years to come.

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VETERANS AFFAIRS Enhanced Services Through Mobile Applications When VA sought to expand the use of web and mobile technologies to improve care delivery, patient satisfaction, and efficiency, they tapped Atlas to support the effort. We teamed with Booz Allen Hamilton to provide full lifecycle application development support—from requirements gathering to training—on the VA Application Support Through National Rollout project. The Atlas team worked closely with VHA Web/Mobile Solutions leaders to define requirements and workflow for web and mobile applications that address the information needs of Veterans, clinicians, and administrative staff.

The applications address a diverse range of care-related subjects, from individual care plan development, to airborne hazards, to maternity care; and we were able to leverage internal learning and performance capabilities to develop training videos made accessible on VA’s Talent Management System, iTunes, and YouTube.

Interoperability and exchange of health information is integral to the national health agenda, and Atlas is helping VA create electronic lifetime medical records for Veterans as part of the Deployment of Virtual Lifetime Electronic Records (VLER) Health Exchange and Direct Secure Messaging Projects in Support of Rural Healthcare. Because many Veterans receive a large part of their health care in the private sector, data exchange with private sector providers is critical. Atlas, as a project partner and subcontractor to Creative Computing Solutions, Inc. (CCSi), is supporting VLER Health in driving development and adoption of electronic health

data interoperability that integrates all health and administrative data into a single access portal using the eHealth Exchange. The Atlas project team is performing direct outreach and technical support in eight different rural VA medical centers and deployed community coordinators to enroll Veterans in the program and provide training on how to use the system portal.

Atlas and Performix supported the Product Effectiveness Customer Satisfaction Execution project in 2014, assisting the VHA Office of Health Information with ongoing assessments and analyses of technology tools, measuring

effectiveness to end-users of the integrated electronic health record, pharmacy reengineering, real time locating systems, and clinical information systems. In so doing, we helped standardize a process that allows Veterans to navigate the non-VA care continuum faster and more efficiently. One of the more interesting assessments performed was of the impact of iPads on the efficiency and atmosphere of work for VA medical professionals. n

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ENGAGING KEY AUDIENCES THROUGH

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS

The importance of strategic communications and branding cannot be underestimated, even for government organizations. If our clients fail to effectively communicate with important stakeholders, mission attainment is compromised, and the stakes are high where improved access and quality of health care are concerned. Across an expanding portfolio of communications projects, Atlas helped clients reach priority audiences with compelling messages delivered through optimum outreach channels. The projects highlighted here speak to the breadth of our work and its grounding in research, evaluation, and best practices.

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VETERANS AFFAIRS Communicating Effectively with Key Stakeholders In 2014, the Atlas communications team supported strategic campaigns designed to ensure that Veterans and other stakeholders are aware of the broad array of programs and support services available to them. For the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Office of the Patient Experience, Atlas provided communications and graphic design services, including the creation of a suite of patient-targeted outreach products. The team (with partner Booz Allen Hamilton) also supported the Veterans Health Administration’s Office of Communications in developing strategies, designing toolkits, and creating the “Honoring Service, Empowering Health” campaign. The goal of that campaign was to communicate VHA’s strategic plan to internal stakeholders. Atlas also supports the VA National Center for PTSD with the design and creation of annual reports, newsletters, and infographics highlighting the Center’s work and informing key audiences on matters related to PTSD. Atlas works with VA to bring awareness to the issue of Military Sexual Trauma (MST) among men.

Members of our communications team developed an MST Awareness Campaign, which included background research via literature reviews and interviews, development of a strategy and tactical plans, and creation of related materials. When the campaign begins in 2015, it will help increase awareness of the prevalence of MST among male Veterans and service members and the resources and treatment VA offers to support victims and their families.

Atlas partnered with Deloitte to support an initiative to develop and coordinate brand strategy and communications under the Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM) Strategic Communications Outreach Services contract.

OHRM sought to develop comprehensive communications services to advance strategic goals, build brand awareness, and promote VA as an employer of choice. The Deloitte-Atlas team supported the Strategic Communications and Outreach Service (SCOS) in performing its role as a hub for communication to and amongst OHRM’s stakeholders. Atlas’s responsibilities included assisting with the design, development, and execution of strategic communication guidelines, processes, procedures, and tools to support OHRM as part of VA’s transformational objectives.

The scope of work included conducting assessments, developing communication and branding strategies, and engaging stakeholders in understanding and adopting these strategies to support implementation success of SCOS initiatives. n

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IN THE NEWS

Atlas Supports Winterhaven Stand Down for DC Area Homeless Veterans For the fifth consecutive year, Atlas supported the Winterhaven Homeless Stand Down event at the Washington DC VA Medical Center. The mid-January program offered health screenings, housing and employment counseling, dental exams, free food, and clothing to homeless and at-risk Veterans from the Metropolitan Area.

Atlas donated shirts for volunteers and VA staff at the event. Winterhaven is supported by more than 70 government and community groups. It is a part of a proactive and multifaceted VA initiative to end Veteran Homelessness.

Deborah McKay Joins the Warrior-Family Roundtable Deborah McKay joined the Warrior-Family Roundtable, a consortium of key leaders in DoD and VA who provide ongoing dialogue with organizations supporting Wounded Warriors, their caregivers, and families with the goal of creating a smooth transition from DoD to Veteran status and beyond. Ms. McKay has more than thirty years of experience in clinical health care, population health, patient safety, program management, and health information management. Currently, Ms. McKay

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is the assistant director for the Easter Seals National Veterans Caregiver Training Program (NVCTP) sponsored by VA. Ms. McKay has deployed NVCTP training throughout the country, interacting with the caregivers of severely injured Veterans to improve the health and well-being of the caregivers, the Veterans, and their families.

Prior to this, Ms. McKay served 28 years in the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps before working as a data analyst for the TRICARE Military Health System, where she played a significant role in developing the information management requirements for the Center of Excellence for Psychological Health Psychological Health & Traumatic Brain Injury.

Atlas Research Relocates Corporate Headquarters We moved our corporate headquarters to 805 Fifteenth Street NW, Suite 910, in downtown Washington, DC. The new space accommodates our growing staff and its downtown location is convenient for hosting clients and partners.

Atlas Research Hosts Free Webinar Series for Caregivers of Veterans Atlas Research and Easter Seals Dixon Center work to strengthen communities to enable Veterans and their families to thrive where they live by building partnerships, sharing innovations, and connecting those who have served to support and services. Part of this work includes hosting a Military Caregiving Webinar Series. The Elizabeth Dole Foundation focuses on assisting the organizations and agencies that serve caregivers— spouses, parents, and others responsible for an injured Veteran. Other partners in the webinar series include the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving, Caregiver Action Network, National

Alliance for Caregiving, Family Caregiver Alliance, and the United Service Organizations. Webinar topics included: • Intimacy & Military Caregiver Relations • Beyond the Blues: When sadness becomes depression • Military Strong: Receiving with grace • Military Caregivers at Work: What you need to know to protect yourself and your family from discriminatory practices • From Daunting to Doable: The power of caregiver resilience

Atlas Joins Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) Leadership Committee Atlas is proud to support the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) as a Freedom Sponsor and through representation on the organization’s Honor Guard Gala leadership committee. TAPS is a nonprofit organization offering compassion, comfort, and care to the thousands of family members coping with the death of a loved one who served in the military or supported a military mission. TAPS helps surviving families cope and heal in the aftermath of their loss through a variety of programs, including a national peer support network, the annual National Survivor Seminar, Good Grief Camps, grief and trauma resources, and a toll-free 24-hour helpline.

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Atlas Hosts Innovation Forum: The Health Care Innovation Imperative Atlas Research hosted an Innovation Forum, The Health Care Innovation Imperative, featuring thought leaders representing academia, industry, health care systems, and technology to share perspectives on the current push to innovate in health care.

AWARDS

The wide-ranging conversation included discussions about the change sweeping through our health care system and fundamentally reshaping care delivery models, the way information is shared and leveraged among the community of payers and providers, the extent of consumer engagement in their own care, the use of technology and technology supports to deliver value, and the role of prevention and public health in our health system.

One thread that ran throughout the conversations is that of patient-centeredness as a driver of innovation. “The patient will tell you the diagnosis eightyfive percent of the time, if you listen,� said Dr. Skip Williams, who described a program at his New York medical center that is reducing rates of congestive heart failure and was originally developed in rural Kenya.

This event was hosted in New Orleans by Atlas Research in partnership with the American College of Preventive Medicine, the American Association of Public Health Physicians, and Georgetown University.

GOVERNMENT PROJECT OF THE YEAR

AMERICAN GRAPHIC DESIGN AWARD

SECAF (Small and Emerging Contractors Advisory Forum)

Graphic Design USA

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GOLD AVA DIGITAL AWARD Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP)

EXECUTIVE TEAM

PRINCIPALS

LEADERSHIP

RYUNG SUH, MD, MPH, MBA, MPP

MARK H. CHICHESTER, JD

Chief Executive Officer

President

JAMIE HART, PhD, MPH

BETH MAHAN, MHA, PMP

JASON ORMSBY, PhD, MBA, MHSA

Executive Vice President

Executive Vice President

Senior Vice President, Health Care Delivery Improvement and Program Evaluation

HILDA R. HEADY, MSW, ACSW

MARIE MINIER, MBA

DAVID SEELKE, MHA, PMP

Senior Vice President, Training, Technical Assistance and Community Collaborations

THEOLINDA (TEDDI) MACHT MIKULA, MA, MBA Vice President, Health Information Systems

Senior Vice President, Operations and Human Capital

Vice President, Health Management Operations and Improvement

PATRICK CORRIGAN, MPP

WENDY OPSAHL, PhD

Vice President, Business Operations and Performance Improvement

Vice President, Communications

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EXECUTIVE TEAM

KATE LYNCH MACHADO

KYUNGSUN SUH, PhD

JEFFERY A. BAETZ, PMP

Vice President, Business Development

Vice President, Clinical Research

Vice President, Regulatory Affairs

BETH BORKO, MS Ed

RENEE O’BRIEN, JD, MS

EDUARDO ORTIZ, MD, MPH

Senior Learning Strategist

Senior Learning Strategist

Medical Director

KEITH PHILLIPS, MS

MICHAEL A. SABO, MBA,

DEBORAH MCKAY, RN, MS

JOY PARK

EXPERTS

Vice President, Operations

Director, Enterprise Transformation

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FACHE Director, Health Transformation

Director, Veteran and Military Health Services

ADVISORY BOARD

ANNE K. ALTMAN

SENIOR FELLOWS

STEPHEN JOEL TRACHTENBERG, JD, MPA

General Manager, Federal Government and Industries, IBM Corporation

President Emeritus, The George Washington University (Chairman)

ROBERT CARR, MD, MPH, FACPM

JOHN F. ‘SKIP’ WILLIAMS, JR., MD, EdD

Senior Vice President and Corporate Medical Director, GlaxoSmithKline (retired)

President, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences Center

James Ahrens, MA, FACHE

Brian Hurley, MHA

Julie Anbender

John Jacocks, MD, MTM&H (COL, ret)

Susan Angell, PhD, MSW

William Oetgen, MD, MBA, FACP, FACC

Constance Bennett, MA

Jeannette Post, MD

Ricky Brathwaite, PhD

Paul Rader, MHA, FACHE

Kenneth Clark, JD, MHA

James Rice, MA, MS

Fr. Rick Curry, SJ, PhD

Kevin Sherin, MD, MPH, MBA, FACPM, FAAFP,

NICHOLAS DONOFRIO, MS Fellow Emeritus and Executive Vice President, Innovation and Technology, IBM (retired)

FASAM

Caitlin Cusack, MD Larry Deal, MBA James Farsetta, MBA Sue Flanagan, PhD, MPH Jason W. Forrester, MA Sanford M. Garfunkel, FACHE Brent Gibson, MD, MPH John Gilmore, MBA, PMP

Leiyu Shi, DrPH, MBA, MPA Lauren Thompson, PhD Hugh Tilson, MD, DrPH, MPH Johl Vogel, MS Siobhan Wescott, MD, MPH Jay Wolfson, DrPh, JD Zhiwei Zhang, PhD

2014 Annual Report 29

SERVICES RESEARCH, STUDIES, AND ANALYSES

HEALTH CARE IMPROVEMENT

•

Design and administration of surveys, focus groups, and interviews

•

Survey readiness

•

Policy analysis

•

Clinical training

•

Evaluation and assessment

•

Quality measurement

•

Clinical trials

•

Performance improvement

•

Pilot programs

•

Workforce analysis and planning

FDA STRATEGIC ADVISORY SERVICES •

Product development strategies

•

Preparation and review of FDA submissions

•

Compliance and pre-inspection audits

•

Risk mitigation and resolution of FDA enforcement actions

•

Protocol development and feasibility assessments

•

Program and clinical research management

•

Safety and adverse event surveillance

•

Biostatistics (analysis plans, reports, missing data and imputation analysis)

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LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE •

Needs and gap analysis

•

Competency modeling

•

Curriculum design and development

•

Performance support strategy

•

Training delivery

•

Training and program evaluation

ENTERPRISE TRANSFORMATION •

Business process reengineering/lean six sigma

•

Organizational design and restructuring

•

Shared services

•

Change management

•

Performance management/measures and metrics development

CONTRACT VEHICLES GOVERNMENT-WIDE • •

•

PLANNING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND FACILITATION •

Capacity and consensus building

•

Cross-system planning

•

Facilitation

•

Strategic planning

•

Technical assistance

GSA - Mission Oriented Business Integrated Services (MOBIS) GSA - Performance Management/Continuous Process Improvement Strategic Sourcing (PM/ CPI) NIH - Chief Information Officer-Solutions & Partners 3 (CIO SP3)

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS • •

• •

Agile Delivery of VA Imminent Strategic & Operational Requirements (VA ADVISOR) VA Learning University (VALU) Initiative 4B: Career & Employee Development Training Custom Solutions VA National Center for PTSD Education Products VA Services for Program Excellence & Corporate Transformation Umbrella (SPECTRUM)

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

TECHNOLOGY •

Technology strategy

•

Customer technology solutions

•

Systems architecture and design

•

Adoption and deployment support

•

Application management

• • • • •

•

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS •

Strategy and tactics development, implementation, and measurement

•

Public relations/community outreach

•

Graphic, web, and brand design/ development

•

Health promotion

•

Writing, editing, and content organization

•

Knowledge translation

• • • • • •

AHRQ - Evidence-Based Practice Center V AHRQ - Knowledge Transfer AHRQ - Planning, Evaluation, & Analysis Task Order Contract (PEATOC) CDC - Achieving Public Health Impact Through Policy: Analysis, Engagement, & Dissemination CDC – Qualitative Inquiry Methods to Understand Issues in HIV Prevention, Care & Treatment CMS - Federally Funded Research & Development Center CMS - Measure and Instrument Development and Support (MIDS) CMS - Research, Measurement, Assessment, Design, & Analysis (RMADA) IDIQ HHS - Accelerating Change and Transformation in Organizations and Networks III HHS - Program Support Center Task Order Contracts HRSA - Evaluation Studies Services II SAMHSA IDIQ, Domains 1-5

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE • •

Air Force Medical Services Clinical Advisory/ Technical Services (CATS) Omnibus Program, Engineering and Technical Support Services 2014 Annual Report 31

POPULATIONS WE SERVE ADOLESCENTS

INFANTS AND YOUTH

FAMILIES

WOMEN

ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY

VETERANS

AGING AND END OF LIFE

CLIENTS U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs • Care Management and Social Work Services • National Center for PTSD • National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans • Office of Acquisition and Logistics • Office of Human Resources and Administration -- Office of Human Resources Management -- VA Learning University • Office of Interagency Care and Benefits Coordination • Office of the Secretary • Office of Policy and Planning • Office of Rural Health • Office of Quality, Safety, and Value • Office of Management • Office of Mental Health Services • Veterans Health Administration -- Connected Health Office -- Homeless Program Office -- National Workers’ Compensation Program -- Office of Communications -- Women’s Health Services • VBA/DoD Program Office

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• Veterans Benefits Administration • VISNs 5, 16, and 23 • VA Medical Centers in Washington DC, Buffalo, Salisbury, Martinsburg, Greater Los Angeles, and Sioux Falls U.S. Department of Defense • Air Force Medical Service • Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense U.S. Department of Labor • Women’s Bureau • Veterans’ Employment and Training Service U.S. Department of Health and Human Services • Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality • Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services -- Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation -- Center for Consumer Information and Oversight • Health Resources and Services Administration

HOMELESS

RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES

HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS

HEALTH CARE EXECUTIVES

RURAL COMMUNITIES

GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES

HIGHER EDUCATION FACULTY AND LEADERSHIP

• • • • • • • •

National Heart Lung and Blood Institute Office of Adolescent Health Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy Office of Minority Health Office of Population Affairs Office of Rural Health Policy Office of Special Health Affairs Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Other • Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education • Deloitte Center for Health Solutions • District of Columbia, Department of Health Care Finance • National Association of Community Health Centers • Precision for Medicine • Raytheon • The Commonwealth Fund • University of Michigan Health System • United Service Organizations • West Virginia State Legislature

Dedicated to our friend and colleague

ERIN BOYLE 1989-2015

2014 Annual Report 33

805 Fifteenth Street NW, Suite 910 Washington, DC 20005