Updated August 2011

Health Services Research and Development Service (HSR&D)

Project Final Reports

NOTE: The following instructions apply to projects with a project end date of

1/1/2011 or later.

1. PURPOSE. HSR&D has an ongoing interest in the progress and accomplishments 

of the research activities it sponsors. HSR&D-funded investigators are expected to 

provide information to Central Office that will allow HSR&D staff to monitor progress and 

outcomes of funded research activities. The HSR&D project Final Report serves to 

identify important research findings and appropriate audiences for dissemination of 

research results.

2. RESPONSIBILITY. The Principal Investigator (PI) of each research project funded 

by HSR&D is responsible for submitting the project Final Report. HSR&D will neither 

review proposals from nor release new HSR&D funding to a PI who has an overdue 

Final Report until the Final Report(s) is(are) received. 

3 DUE DATE. Final Reports are due within 90 days of the project’s official end date. 

In rare circumstances, an extension of the due date can be requested. Requests for 

additional time to prepare the Final Report must be submitted to the assigned Scientific 

Program Manager (SPM) through the Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) for R&D. 

4. DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE FINAL REPORT

A. Procedures. 

(1) The Final Report must be submitted using the ART web site (http://art.pugetsound.med.va.gov). Instructions for submitting the Final Report using the 

ART web site are also available in the ART documentation.

(2) ART sends the PI email reminders before the Final Report is due. Center AOs 

and ART Coordinators are copied on the email reminders. The email 

includes a link to the instructions on the HSR&D Website (Internet) and to the 

ART Website (Intranet).

(3) Once the deadline for the Final Report has passed, no additional reminders 

are sent from ART. The PI will be contacted by the SPM until the Final 

Report is submitted. HSR&D will neither review proposals from nor release 

new HSR&D funding to a PI who has an overdue Final Report until the Final 

Report(s) is(are) received.

(4) The Findings, Status and Impact sections of the Final Report must be 

updated before the Final Report can be submitted to Central Office (CO) for 

approval.

(5) The approved Final Report will be available to HSR&D, the PI, and the Center 

Administrative Officer (AO) in ART and (unless otherwise noted in these 

instructions) will be posted on the HSR&D internet (public) Website 

(www.hsrd.research.va.gov/research/completed.cfm).
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B. Format. 

(1) The Final Report should provide HSR&D with a brief summary of research 

progress, findings and activities for a completed project. 

(2) The Final Report should not exceed approximately 1000 words. The 

maximum length does not include the project title, section headers, additional 

information and comments section, or reported citations. 

(3) The Final Report should be submitted using plain text only in Arial 11 point 

font. Any special formatting (e.g., italics, bold text, bullets, tables, tabs) will 

be lost once submitted.

(4) References should not be cited in or listed at the end of the abstract.

(5) The appropriate tense should be used (e.g., past tense to describe the 

methods of the completed study).

C. Content. 

The Final Report provides a brief summary of the research findings and 

conclusions for a completed project. The Final Report should serve as a standalone summary suitable for dissemination to both scientific and lay audiences. 

All Final Reports must include the following sections:

(1) Background/Rationale

(2) Objective(s)

(3) Methods

(4) Findings/Results

(5) Status

(6) Impact

 

(1) Background/Rationale: This section should describe the background or 

rationale for the study. Include a description of the problem being addressed 

and its relevance to VA (e.g., impact on veterans or the VA health care 

system). In addition, briefly describe what is unique or original about the 

project.

(2) Objective(s): In this section, explain the major goals and specific aims of the 

study. Detail the research questions and any hypotheses.

(3) Methods: This section should describe the study design, intervention (if any), 

study population (e.g.,inclusion/exclusion criteria, major characteristics), 

settings, and intervention or exposures (if any). Define the study variables 

and identify the source(s) of the data. Include sample size and response 

rates, as appropriate. Methods of analyses should be clearly and concisely 

articulated. Indicate if non-VA sites are included.

(4) Findings/Results: This section should describe any of the main findings of 

the completed study. It should address the specific outcomes outlined in the 

primary aims and should include quantitative and qualitative information, and 

both negative and positive findings, as appropriate to the project. 
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(5) Status: This section should describe the stage of the project (e.g., completed) 

and the major activities and accomplishments completed during the reporting 

period (e.g., within the funding period of the project).

(6) Impact: This section should describe the perceived impact of the project 

(anticipated or observed) on Veterans (e.g., improved quality of care, better 

outcomes), the VA health care system (e.g., improved management, lower 

costs) or the general public. Also, describe implications for other areas of 

research or practice such as clinical applications or policy.

D. Additional Information and Comments for Central Office Review.

This is a required section in which the PI should include any additional 

information or comments about the project that are to be shared with the SPM 

and not the general public. The information contained in this section is only 

available to HSR&D CO, the PI, and the Center Administrative Officer (AO) in 

ART; this section is NOT posted on the HSR&D internet (public) Website 

(www.hsrd.research.va.gov/research/completed.cfm) as part of the Final Report. 

Examples of the kind of information or comments to be included are: how the 

findings contribute to knowledge in veteran-centric terms; directions for future 

research in the topic area and any follow-on studies that have been submitted or 

funded; any results that may be controversial; findings that may receive media 

attention; potential audiences for the study results and any contact with them 

about results; any emerging impacts already underway in the health system; any 

implications for QUERI program as a vehicle for implementing findings; any 

dissemination efforts already undertaken, or suggested strategies to disseminate 

information.

E. Publications/Citations.

(1) Center Administrative Officers (AO) or ART Coordinators are responsible for 

entering citation information in ART and should be notified of any publications 

or other dissemination activities (e.g., presentations, posters) related to a 

funded HSR&D project. Refer to the ART documentation on the ART web site 

(http://art.puget-sound.med.va.gov) for instructions on reporting publications 

and citations.

(2) The Final Report will automatically include a list of publications/citations 

attributable to the project that have been reported to the Center's ART

Coordinator(s) and included in the ART Citation Manager (ACM). 

(3) The PI should review the current list of publications linked to the project to 

ensure accuracy. Errors should be reported to the Center’s ART 

Coordinator(s) to address.

(4) Subsequent to submission of the project Final Report, PIs are required to 

report all future dissemination activities to Central Office as soon as they 

receive notification of acceptance, for either publication or presentation, of 

any information related to the project. The PI must also notify their ART 

Coordinator(s) at the same time. 
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5. SUBMISSION. The Final Report must be submitted electronically via the ART 

Website (http://art.puget-sound.med.va.gov) by the due date. All specified components 

must be included. Please refer to the ART Documentation for instructions for using the 

ART Website.

6. INQUIRIES. The PI’s local R&D Office is the appropriate initial contact for inquiries 

about Final Reports. Other questions about submission and review of HSR&D Final 

Reports may be directed to the assigned Scientific Program Manager.

7. RESPONSIBILITIES OF HSR&D. HSR&D is responsible for approving or 

disapproving the Final Report. 

A. HSR&D conducts administrative and content reviews of each Final Report. 

HSR&D may disseminate Final Report results to VA leadership. In addition, the Final 

Report may be sent to one or more external reviewer(s) to help assess the validity, 

significance, and implications of the findings, and to identify appropriate audiences for 

dissemination. If reviewers have any significant concerns about the Final Report, 

HSR&D will communicate with the PI, and revisions may be required. 

B. HSR&D notifies the PI and ACOS for R&D when review of the Final Report is 

complete and shares with the PI any written critiques or recommendations. Prior to 

notification of approval by HSR&D, the Final Report is not to be distributed except to 

individuals who served on the research team. 

C. The approved Final Report is available to HSR&D CO, the PI, and the Center 

Administrative Officer (AO) in ART and is posted on the HSR&D internet (public) 

Website (www.hsrd.research.va.gov/research/completed.cfm). 

D. If, subsequent to approval of the Final Report by HSR&D, the PI materially 

changes any conclusions or recommendations, an amended report must be submitted 

promptly to CO.