AI-guided immunosuppressant medication choices for Veterans with IBD
A learning health system approach to using Artificial Intelligence Enabled Decision Support (AEDS) for medication optimization in Veteran Care: An Immunosuppressants use case
AI tools will help Veterans with inflammatory bowel disease get better choices and doses of immunosuppressant medicines using their VA health records.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Health Administration NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11129661 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Using Veterans' VA health records, the team will adapt and validate AI models to recommend when to start, change, or stop thiopurines and other immunosuppressants for IBD. They will test those models on historical VA data and pilot a clinician-facing decision support tool in VA clinics. The project will study strategies to promote clinician adoption and measure effects on safety, side effects, and healthcare use for Veterans.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Veterans receiving care in the VA system with a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis who are taking or being considered for thiopurines or other immunosuppressant drugs.
Not a fit: Non‑Veterans, people without IBD, or patients who do not use VA healthcare or are not treated with immunosuppressants are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to safer, more effective immunosuppressant prescribing with fewer side effects and better access to care for Veterans with IBD.
How similar studies have performed: Some prior AI and decision-support studies have shown promise for medication optimization, but applying and validating these models specifically for VA IBD care and thiopurine use is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- Veterans Health Administration — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Waljee, Akbar K — Veterans Health Administration
- Study coordinator: Waljee, Akbar K
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.