Helping Breast Cancer Patients Get the Social Support They Need
An Electronic Health Record-Based Tool to Identify Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients at Risk of Low Social Support
This project aims to create a new tool within electronic health records to help doctors quickly find breast cancer patients who might need more social support.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Kaiser Foundation Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Oakland, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11136983 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We know that having good social support is really important for breast cancer patients during their treatment and recovery. Doctors at Kaiser Permanente Northern California have been noting social support information in patient records for years, but there isn't a clear way to use this information to identify patients who are struggling. This project will develop a special tool, called EHR-SUPPORT, that uses information already in your electronic health record to flag patients who might be at risk of having low social support. This way, healthcare teams can connect these patients with helpful resources sooner, potentially improving their care and outcomes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This research focuses on newly diagnosed breast cancer patients whose electronic health records contain information relevant to social support.
Not a fit: Patients who do not have breast cancer or whose medical records are not part of the Kaiser Permanente Northern California system would not directly benefit from this specific tool.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this tool could help ensure that breast cancer patients who need extra social support are identified early and connected to resources that can improve their treatment experience and health outcomes.
How similar studies have performed: While the importance of social support is well-established, an EHR-based tool specifically designed to identify at-risk breast cancer patients is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
Oakland, UNITED STATES
- Kaiser Foundation Research Institute — Oakland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kroenke, Candyce H — Kaiser Foundation Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Kroenke, Candyce H
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.