Improving how critical care is allocated during crises for disadvantaged communities
Official title: Improving the efficiency and equity of critical care allocation during a crisis with place-based disadvantage indices
Funded at University of Chicago · NIH-11019778 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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 type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $485,286 |
| NIH project number | 5R01LM014263-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11019778 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include critically ill patients from disadvantaged communities, particularly racial and ethnic minority groups.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not critically ill or those who do not belong to disadvantaged communities may not receive benefits from this research.
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.
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 gone: 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
-
University of Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Parker, William F — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Parker, William F
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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.