Improving safety for hospitalized children by engaging their families

BedsideNotes: Engaging families to improve pediatric safety

NIH-funded research University of Wisconsin-Madison · NIH-10911148

This study is all about making hospital stays better and safer for kids by getting their families more involved in their care, using a new tool called BedsideNotes that helps families access important information and share their thoughts with the medical team.

Quick facts

Grant typeCareer grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Madison, United States)
Project IDNIH-10911148 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on enhancing the safety and quality of care for children in hospitals by actively involving their families in the care process. Dr. Michelle Kelly, a Pediatric Hospitalist Physician, is developing an intervention called BedsideNotes, which includes tools and technologies that facilitate family engagement. The approach involves redesigning hospital rounds to include family input and creating a bedside portal that allows families to access their child's medical information. By addressing gaps in health communication and literacy, this research aims to implement effective strategies that improve patient outcomes.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are families of hospitalized children who can actively participate in their child's care.

Not a fit: Patients who are not hospitalized or those whose families are unable to engage in the care process may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to safer hospital experiences for children by ensuring that families are more informed and involved in their care.

How similar studies have performed: Other research has shown that family engagement can significantly improve patient safety and care quality, indicating that this approach has potential for success.

Where this research is happening

Madison, 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.