Community paramedic support after ER visits for people with dementia

Community Paramedicine

['FUNDING_OTHER'] · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · NIH-11179238

This project offers community paramedic visits and follow-up support after emergency room visits to people living with dementia to help them stay safe at home and avoid repeat ER trips.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_OTHER']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorNEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (nih funded)
Locations1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11179238 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

If I or my loved one with dementia goes to the emergency room and is sent home, this project would arrange follow-up visits and support from trained community paramedics who work beyond traditional 911 response. The paramedics will deliver an adapted Care Transitions Intervention to help with medications, home safety, caregiver coaching, and connections to local services. The team will run a large embedded pragmatic clinical trial comparing outcomes for people who get the paramedic-led support alone or combined with other interventions. The main outcomes tracked will include repeat ED visits, adverse events after discharge, and ability to remain safely at home.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are community-dwelling adults with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia who visit a participating emergency department and are discharged to home.

Not a fit: People living in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities, those who are admitted to the hospital instead of being sent home, or people outside the program’s service area may not be eligible or likely to benefit.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could cut repeat emergency visits and improve safety and outcomes for people living with dementia after ED discharge.

How similar studies have performed: A prior pilot of this community paramedic transition program showed a 75% reduction in 30-day ED revisits among patients with cognitive impairment, but this larger trial will test the approach more broadly.

Where this research is happening

NEW YORK, 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.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: Alzheimer disease dementia, Alzheimer syndrome, Alzheimer's Disease

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 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.