Helping people with atrial fibrillation get the right blood thinners
SUPPORT-AF IV
This project adds an electronic reminder for doctors to help people with atrial fibrillation who need blood thinners get the right treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Worcester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11160741 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have atrial fibrillation and are not on an anticoagulant, clinicians at participating hospitals will get a clinical decision alert in your electronic chart when you visit. The team will compare how often doctors prescribe anticoagulants before and after the alert, study clinician actions using EHR access logs, and interview providers about their experiences. They will refine the alert based on these findings, create a practical implementation toolkit, and plan broader dissemination to other health systems. The project also focuses on reducing gaps in anticoagulant use seen in non-white patient groups.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with atrial fibrillation who have elevated stroke risk but are not currently taking oral anticoagulants and who receive care at one of the participating health systems.
Not a fit: People already taking anticoagulants, those with medical reasons that make anticoagulation unsafe, or patients who do not receive care at the participating sites are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, more people with atrial fibrillation could receive guideline-recommended blood thinners, lowering their risk of stroke.
How similar studies have performed: Previous EHR-based alerts and earlier SUPPORT-AF work have produced modest improvements in anticoagulant prescribing, and this project builds on that prior experience.
Where this research is happening
Worcester, United States
- Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester — Worcester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kapoor, Alok — Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester
- Study coordinator: Kapoor, Alok
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.