Improving how critical care is allocated during crises for disadvantaged communities

Improving the efficiency and equity of critical care allocation during a crisis with place-based disadvantage indices

NIH-funded research University of Chicago · NIH-11019778

This study is working on a better way to decide who gets critical care during emergencies, especially for communities that often get overlooked, by creating smarter tools that focus on who will benefit the most from treatment, so everyone has a fair chance at life-saving help.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Chicago NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Chicago, United States)
Project IDNIH-11019778 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research aims to enhance the fairness and efficiency of critical care allocation during emergencies, particularly for disadvantaged communities. It focuses on developing algorithms that prioritize patients based on their likelihood of benefiting from life support treatments, rather than relying solely on existing scoring systems that may not accurately reflect the needs of all patients. By addressing the shortcomings of current triage protocols, especially for Black patients, the research seeks to ensure that life-saving resources are distributed more equitably during crises.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research include critically ill patients from disadvantaged communities, particularly racial and ethnic minority groups.

Not a fit: Patients who are not critically ill or those who do not belong to disadvantaged communities may not receive benefits from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more equitable access to critical care for patients from disadvantaged backgrounds during health emergencies.

How similar studies have performed: Other research has highlighted the need for improved triage protocols, indicating that this approach could lead to significant advancements in equitable healthcare delivery.

Where this research is happening

Chicago, 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.