A new study from the US Department of Veterans Affairs, Regenstrief Institute, IUPUI, and Mount Sinai researchers reports that primary care physicians recognize the need for improved care coordination. They welcome electronic health information exchange (HIE) event notifications as a means to enhance patient care.
A study led by Regenstrief Institute found that most electronic health record (EHR) alerts attempting to deprescribe high-risk medications linked to dementia went unread, raising questions about their effectiveness. The goal was to facilitate the deprescribing of anticholinergics through both provider and patient-based alerts.
A team-based model assists primary care physicians in managing specific health conditions through a care manager with advanced expertise. This helps patients process information, review treatment options, and receive needed support between physician visits.
A new study found that many younger adult dental patients are taking medications, highlighting the importance of reviewing medication histories. Medications such as antidepressants and opioids can increase the risk of dry mouth, tooth decay, and tooth loss.
A new study by Regenstrief Institute researchers found that electronic health records (EHRs) are not designed to meet the specific needs of primary care physicians. The study recommends implementing a human factor approach for EHR user interface design to improve patient care and reduce information overload.
A recent study found that higher screening uptake may be associated with a higher risk of colon cancer in black people. The study analyzed over 90,000 veterans and discovered that those who received routine screenings had a similar risk of colorectal cancer compared to white patients.
An online survey capturing COVID-19 symptoms received over 87,000 responses, providing important insight into the spread of disease. The survey revealed patterns of symptoms and correlations with testing rates in U.S. states.
The Regenstrief Institute emphasizes the importance of algorithmic performance in healthcare, highlighting the need for systematic surveillance and vigilance to address inherent biases. Studies have shown that debiasing methods can help address disparities represented in data used to develop AI approaches.
The Regenstrief tEMR platform provides a realistic virtual patient care experience, enabling early exposure to EMRs and promoting interprofessional collaboration. Over 11,800 students have accessed the system, enhancing their skills in health IT environments.
A team from Regenstrief Institute created an emergency EMR for Indianapolis first responders in just one week using OpenMRS, a global open-source electronic medical record system. The system allowed for quick registration of patients, collection of basic clinical information, and transmission to the Indiana health information exchange.
A new study from the VA, Regenstrief Institute, and IUPUI analyzed healthcare utilization among TBI patients and found that a quarter were super-utilizers. The research also identified disparities in care based on health insurance and residency status.
Two studies from Indiana University and Regenstrief Institute found discrepancies between recorded POLST orders and current treatment preferences among nursing home residents. Regular review and update of these documents are crucial to ensure they reflect changing situations and patient wishes.
A survey of over 8,000 nursing home and assisted living staff in Indiana found that 45% would take a vaccine as soon as it was available, while an additional 24% said they would take it at some point in the future. Concerns about side effects, health risks, and effectiveness were common reasons for not wanting to receive the vaccine.
The Regenstrief Institute's LOINC standard has received additional federal funding to support efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding will prioritize the creation of specific COVID-19 LOINC terms and improve mapping services.
Researchers at Regenstrief Institute have developed SymTrak-8, a short questionnaire to track symptoms in older adults and assist healthcare providers in assessing treatment effectiveness. The tool provides a more complete picture of overall wellbeing and symptom burden, enabling clinicians to make informed decisions.
A $5 million grant will support studies on scalable, low-cost, and noninvasive approaches to identify Alzheimer's disease. The project aims to improve the quality of life for patients and families by providing validated tools for early detection.
A recent study published in JAMA Network Open found that patients with COVID-19 are twice as likely to die when ICU capacity is strained during peak caseloads. The research team analyzed data from 8,516 COVID-19 patients and found a significant association between ICU patient load and demand and increased mortality rates.
A study aims to reduce return visits to ED by low-risk patients with anxiety-caused chest pain. Researchers will explore online and telehealth care delivery options for anxious patients.
More than 230 Indiana nursing homes signed up for a program to improve COVID-19 preparedness, safety and infection control. The ECHO program offers weekly calls for nursing home leaders to discuss best practices and share experiences.
New research highlights the need for individualized treatment plans and instructions to prevent adverse events during transitions. Patients returning home face challenges managing medication, therapy, and care transitions due to COVID-19.
A study from Indiana University School of Nursing and IU Center for Aging Research at Regenstrief Institute found that nursing home residents with POLST forms had a concordance rate of 59% compared to 35% without POLST forms, indicating better matching of care preferences
Health systems and nursing homes must collaborate to provide better care for patients in crisis and during day-to-day operations, Dr. Unroe argues. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of integrating nursing home data sources with other healthcare data.
A new predictive model estimates personal risk for advanced polyps and colon cancer in average risk individuals, helping physicians determine screening options. The study identifies lower and higher risk groups among average risk individuals, with approximately 10% deemed high risk for a colonoscopy.
The National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) is a centralized analytics platform storing vast amounts of medical record data from people tested for COVID-19. Regenstrief serves as the national project's Honest Data Broker, creating more complete and informative data sets while ensuring patient privacy.
A randomized trial will evaluate a telehealth-delivered collaborative care model to motivate primary care patients with opioid dependence and depression to increase engagement in evidence-based treatments. The study aims to improve depression symptoms and provide pragmatic clinical approaches to address this unmet challenge.
A study from Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University School of Medicine found that nursing home residents with cognitive impairment are more likely to be admitted to the hospital after an emergency department visit. The factors most associated with discharge back to the facility were falls, trauma or fracture, bleeding, and pain.
Researchers improved Uppstroms' performance by incorporating personal and population-level social determinants of health, leading to fewer false positives. The algorithm identifies patients at risk, allowing clinicians to offer referrals to specialized services before a crisis occurs.
A 10-week virtual series provides insight into COVID-19 topics for the general public, including vaccine development, mask effectiveness and outbreak tracking. The symposium aims to address community impact and provide solutions.
A novel study explores how Black patients with mental health concerns evaluate verbal and non-verbal communication during treatment, revealing significant fear of being negatively judged based on stereotypes. The research provides suggestions for creating environments that foster person-centered care and reducing provider burnout.
A new palliative care model will be implemented in eight Indiana and eight Maryland nursing homes to enhance quality of life for patients with Alzheimer's disease. The UPLIFT-AD trial aims to build capacity for palliative care within facilities and provide external support.
Nursing homes face extreme challenges in the COVID-19 pandemic, but partnerships with health systems can support better staffing, virus testing, and data sharing. This collaboration can facilitate reduced hospital readmissions, improved safety of transitions of care, and ultimately improve care for vulnerable populations.
A statewide study found that 47% of patients are using health information technology (HIT) for communication, but few have discussions about its use. Only 21% reported having a conversation with their doctor or provider about how to correspond digitally.
A new study from Regenstrief Institute shows that using electronic health information exchanges to prepopulate forms for notifiable disease reports increases reporting rates and completeness. This method facilitates public health surveillance, enabling quicker response to outbreaks and informing public health decisions.
A new Health Affairs blog post proposes a three-part strategy to address the impact of sustained psychological and moral distress on healthcare workers. The plan includes prevention measures, building behavioral health treatment capacity, and managing long-term effects, in an effort to prioritize both physical and mental health.
A JAMA Network Open study reveals that nearly half of medical treatments and orders for incapacitated patients are incompatible with the surrogate's goals of care. Surrogates tend to prefer less aggressive care options, which often don't align with hospital treatment protocols.
A large study evaluated de-identified data from electronic dental records of 217,887 patients from 99 solo or small dental practices across the US. The study found that it's feasible to mine EDR data to learn which dental therapies work and which don't, empowering quality improvement by individual dentists.
Experts from Regenstrief Institute, Mayo Clinic and The Pew Charitable Trusts call for urgent action to address patient matching rates, which vary widely. The correct sharing of electronic health data among healthcare providers is crucial for identifying COVID-19 infected individuals and supporting future vaccination efforts.
The Indiana Network for Population Health enables secure data exchange to track diseases and connect patients with community-based services addressing their social determinants of health. Integrating social determinants into electronic medical records enhances health surveillance, but current systems often lack access to this information.
A team of US researchers, led by Dr. Jie Zhang, collaborated with a scientist quarantined in Wuhan, China to develop a machine learning technique for distinguishing the rare tRCC kidney cancer subtype from other subtypes. The study used a large dataset of 74 tRCC samples and achieved significant results.
A precision medicine approach is necessary to determine which patients with diverticulitis need a colonoscopy. The editorial highlights 'sign posts' that support individualized decision-making and recommends their use. This approach uses healthcare resources wisely and provides better patient care.
Critically ill patients on mechanical ventilators who listened to slow-tempo music had decreased need for sedatives, fewer days of delirium, and were more awake. The study suggests that music may be a non-pharmacologic treatment option for delirium.
Regenstrief Institute researcher Brian Dixon is presenting strategies for integrating social determinants of health, such as socioeconomic status and access to food, into patient records. This integration aims to better address individual and public health needs by combining clinical data with social determinants.
A study finds that about 42% of physicians experience moral distress when making decisions for surrogate decision-makers, leading to burnout, depression, and compromised professional integrity. Effective communication with surrogates and patients is key to diminishing physician moral distress.
Research at the Regenstrief Institute found that hospital admission and neurological consultations are associated with better quality care for people with transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). Patients who received a neurological consultation had higher care quality, while speech impairment was linked to increased hospital admittance.
Researchers developed a machine learning algorithm to predict dementia onset using electronic medical records, showing similar accuracy to invasive tests. The method could help identify patients at risk earlier, allowing for prevention and better quality of life.
The CHICA system, developed by Regenstrief Institute and IU School of Medicine, increased autism screening rates from zero to 100% at 24 months of age. The computerized decision support tool improved health inequities by automating the screening process, making it more accessible for underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities.
Researchers have identified blood-based biomarkers associated with both delirium duration and severity in critically ill patients. These biomarkers can help identify individuals at risk for longer delirium duration and higher delirium severity, potentially leading to new treatments.
Researchers found no depression or anxiety from dementia screening in older adults. The study also showed that screening did not reduce emergency department visits and hospitalizations. Dementia screening provides awareness for patients and families to take action, including advance care planning.
Patient portals provide access to health information and communication with clinicians, but many hospitals fail to offer clear guidance on using them. The study found that over half of secure messaging portals lacked detailed instructions on appropriate message content, leading to confusion among patients.
A training program to support advance care planning in nursing homes is expanding to over 170 facilities across the US. The program aims to provide patients with consistent and high-quality care that aligns with their treatment preferences.