Homecare-CONCERN: smarter home health care to prevent hospital visits
Official title: Homecare-CONCERN Clinical Decision Support to Reduce Hospitalizations and ED Visits: A Pragmatic Clinical Trial
Funded at Visiting Nurse Service of New York · NIH-11425747 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A pragmatic trial tests a machine-learning based decision support system to help 65+ patients receiving home health care stay out of the hospital or ER.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Visiting Nurse Service of New York NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 16, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $782,367 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AG102943-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11425747 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 65 and older receiving skilled home health care at participating sites.
✕Less likely to help
Some patients may not experience fewer hospital visits or may not respond to the CDS recommendations.
What this research studies
This project tests a computer-aided tool that uses electronic health records and nurse visit notes to continuously estimate a patient’s risk and guide care decisions. If the tool flags high risk, it provides recommendations such as adjusting medications, consulting a physician, or scheduling more visits. The study enrolls about 4,000 older adults under home health care from VNS Health, with 15 clinical teams starting the CDS in staggered 3-month steps. The goal is to see if the CDS lowers 30-day hospitalizations and ER visits, how well it works across different groups, and whether it is cost-effective.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients may have fewer hospital visits and more timely, personalized care at home.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies suggest decision-support tools can improve care, but evidence in home health is still limited and this trial tests real-world effectiveness.
Where this research is happening
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Visiting Nurse Service of New York
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Topaz, Maxim — Visiting Nurse Service of New York
- Study coordinator: Topaz, Maxim
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.