Improving patient safety by analyzing clinical notes with machine learning

Patient Safety Event Surveillance Using Machine Learning and Free Text Clinical Notes

NIH-funded research Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-10659208

This study is looking at how we can use computer technology to better understand and improve safety for kids in hospitals by analyzing doctors' notes to spot serious health issues, so we can make healthcare safer and more effective for everyone.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionBoston Children's Hospital NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Boston, United States)
Project IDNIH-10659208 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on enhancing patient safety in healthcare by using machine learning to analyze free text clinical notes from healthcare providers. The project aims to identify serious pediatric healthcare acquired conditions (HACs) such as IV infiltrates, venous thromboembolisms, pressure injuries, patient falls, and incidents of harm to providers. By classifying these notes, the research seeks to gather important data on the incidence and epidemiology of these conditions, ultimately leading to better safety practices. The study also aims to evaluate the effectiveness of this surveillance method in improving healthcare quality and reducing costs.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research include pediatric patients who are hospitalized and may be at risk for healthcare acquired conditions.

Not a fit: Patients who are not hospitalized or do not have any risk factors for healthcare acquired conditions may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to significant improvements in patient safety and outcomes in pediatric healthcare settings.

How similar studies have performed: Other research has shown success in using machine learning for patient safety surveillance, indicating that this approach is promising and has potential for broader application.

Where this research is happening

Boston, 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 2026-06-09 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.