A newly funded research project is helping Acadia Lewis harness the power of geospatial technologies to help a world of hurting veterans. 

"Working on this project allows me to apply geospatial analysis to real-world challenges while collaborating with experts across disciplines,” said Lewis, an undergraduate student studying geographic information science. “I’m excited to contribute to improving health care access for veterans and to see how data-driven solutions can make a meaningful difference."

Working alongside Assistant Professor Junghwan Kim, the project is one of the five seed grants recently awarded by the Whole Health Consortium at Virginia Tech. In its second year and supported by the university’s Institute for Society, Culture and Environment, the consortium champions research aimed at improving health and well-being across the region, specifically targeting such persistent issues as limited mental health services, substance misuse, and the need for trauma-informed care, particularly in underserved communities.  

“By facilitating multidisciplinary, community-informed research, the Whole Health Consortium continues its commitment to reshaping health systems, practices, and policies — ultimately supporting better health outcomes for individuals and families across Virginia and beyond,” said Tina Savla, director of the Whole Health Consortium. 

The research team's work aims to leverage the combination of artificial intelligence, geospatial analysis, public health, and optimization to expand U.S. military veterans’ access to pain management services. The research team will pinpoint service shortages, especially in rural areas where broadband is limited and specialized care is scarce, with a goal of reducing gaps by examining transportation options, community resources, and individual needs. And the team will do so in part by partnering with experts outside of higher education, a hallmark of the Whole Health Consortium. 

“We are particularly excited to collaborate with the Salem VA Health Care System, as this partnership extends the impact of our research beyond academic publications,” Kim said. “Our goal is to contribute to evidence-based decision making that can help VA personnel better serve veterans in Virginia.”

Another project, led by Meagan Brem, focuses on how chronic pain and opioid use disorder intersect in Appalachia, a region facing some of the nation’s highest rates for both conditions. Drawing on expertise in computer science, neuroscience, psychiatry, public policy, and statistics, the team will use real-time smartphone-based data collection to identify the daily “triggers” that worsen or ease pain and substance misuse. The long-term goal is to develop a “just-in-time” intervention that delivers skills coaching precisely when individuals need it, thereby overcoming barriers such as stigma and rural isolation to make treatment more accessible and effective. 

“As early career investigators, this grant is instrumental to our ability to test whether our procedures are feasible and gather some preliminary answers to the questions we are asking,” said Brem, assistant professor of psychology. “This grant has enabled us to build new partnerships among our team of investigators who have expertise in multiple domains, meaning our data will be informed by multidisciplinary perspectives and will carry implications across multiple lines of research.”

Advancing whole health research

These annual seed grants support the consortium’s mission to catalyze innovative Whole Health research. By encouraging collaboration across disciplines and community partnerships, the consortium aims to transform systems, research, practices, and policies that influence holistic health and well-being. 

This year’s seed grants were awarded through two funding tracks: 

  • Advancing Partnerships: One-year grants that support well-established teams tackling complex whole health objectives
  • Incubating Emergent Collaborations: Six-month grants that help smaller teams unite scholars from multiple disciplines and community partners to develop preliminary data or pilot projects

This year, Carilion Clinic partnered with the Whole Health Consortium to help fund the Incubating Emergent Collaborations Track.  

“Carilion Clinic’s partnership with the Whole Health Consortium strengthens our shared commitment to improving health care for everyone,” said Francis Farrell, senior director of research and development at Carilion Clinic. “By bringing Carilion’s patient-centered approach, which our health care team practices, together with Virginia Tech’s innovative researchers and community partners, we can more effectively address our region’s health needs, develop strategic interventions, and ultimately improve the lives of our patients and communities we serve.”  

Advancing Partnerships Track Awardees

Geospatial Analysis and Optimization for Veterans’ Health Care Access in Pain Management

Goal: Identify underserved areas and create solutions to improve veterans’ access to pain management

Research team:  

Community partners:  

  • Rena Courtney, Salem VA Health Care System 
  • Francis Cannizzo, Salem VA Health Care System 

Psychosocial and Physical Environments of Health Care  

Goal: Investigate how hospital design, environment, and communication among patients, clinicians, and families affect wellness during patient care activities

Research team:  

  • Monifa Vaughn-Cooke, health systems and implementation science, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine 
  • Sarah Henrickson Parker, health systems and implementation science, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine 
  • Charles Calderwood, psychology, College of Science 
  • Alp Tural, interior design, School of Design

Community partners:  

  • Lisa Uherick, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Carilion Clinic 
  • Ottilia Lewis, Trauma Survivors Network, Carilion Clinic 

Incubating Emergent Collaborations Track Awardees

Developmental Disability Abuse Prevention and Response  

Goal: Understand and address unique prevention and response strategies around sexual abuse affecting individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities   

Research team:  

Community partner:  

  • Dana Sciullo, National Down Syndrome Society 

Development of an Accessible, Integrative Treatment for Chronic Pain and Opioid Use Disorder in Appalachia  

Goal: Lay groundwork for novel interventions that reduce chronic pain and opioid misuse, tailored to Appalachian communities  

Research team:  

Community partners:  

  • Rena Courtney, Salem VA Health Care System 
  • Dan Blalock, Durham VA Health Care System  
  • Robert McNamara, Carilion Clinic and Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine 

Ethical Dilemmas of Medical Interpretation in Indigenous Languages  

Goal: Examine how medical interpreters balance objectivity with culturally responsive advocacy for Indigenous patients   

Research team:   

  • Rebecca Hester; science, technology, and society; College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences 
  • Nick Copeland, history, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences 
  • Cecily Rodriguez, Institute for Policy and Governance, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences 
  • Andrea Briceno Mosquera, Institute for Policy and Governance, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences  

Community partners:   

  • Odilia Romero, Silvia Ventura Luna, Daniela E Obregón, Luis López Resendiz, Comunidades Indigenas en Liderazgo 

Looking ahead

Many of these collaborations emerged from the consortium’s inaugural annual meeting in April 2024. The Leadership Council plans to spark even more connections at the upcoming annual meeting on May 19 at The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center, where researchers, community partners, and health care professionals will explore opportunities to advance whole health research and community-informed solutions. For more information about the Whole Health Consortium, visit www.wholehealth.isce.vt.edu or contact wholehealth@vt.edu. 

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