Better pre-surgery care to help patients lose weight, stop smoking, and control blood sugar

Combining Policy and Implementation Science to Optimize Clinical Practice

NIH-funded research University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11296930

This project combines payment incentives and clinic workflow changes so surgeons and hospitals support patients in improving weight, smoking, and blood sugar control before elective surgery.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Ann Arbor, United States)
Project IDNIH-11296930 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

From a patient perspective, the team will work with surgeons and hospitals to make it easier for patients to follow recommended steps like weight loss, smoking cessation, and diabetes control before an operation. They plan to pair financial incentives for clinicians with practical changes in how clinics are organized so those recommendations are actually followed. The project will study how these combined approaches change clinician behavior and patient preparation, and measure effects on surgical complications and recovery. The work focuses on elective surgeries where preoperative optimization is possible and feasible.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are people scheduled for elective surgery who would benefit from preoperative weight loss, smoking cessation, or better blood sugar control.

Not a fit: Patients needing emergency surgery or those who cannot safely delay their operation are unlikely to benefit from preoperative optimization strategies.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lower surgical complications and help patients recover faster after elective operations.

How similar studies have performed: Previous work shows preoperative optimization can cut complications substantially and financial incentives or implementation efforts can help change practice, but combining both approaches in this way is relatively new.

Where this research is happening

Ann Arbor, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.