Keeping ER admission prediction tools accurate and fair
Real-time Monitoring and Correction of Clinical Decision Support Systems using Artificial Intelligence
This project builds AI that watches and fixes hospital admission prediction tools so emergency department patients get fairer, more reliable care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11174281 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team is developing AI methods that continuously monitor and update clinical decision support tools that predict which emergency patients will be admitted. They will train models on past hospital records and create postprocessing steps that correct model behavior in real time, focusing on busy or resource‑limited ED settings. The work tests whether these methods keep predictions accurate across different patient groups, hospitals, and over time. The main application is an admission‑prediction tool used in the emergency department to help prioritize care and improve patient flow.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients seen in participating emergency departments—especially children at Boston Children's Hospital whose records are used—would be the ones whose care or data could be included.
Not a fit: People treated at hospitals that do not use these decision tools, patients with very rare conditions not represented in the data, or those who opt out of data sharing may not see benefits.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make ER triage and admission decisions more consistent, reduce unfair disparities, and speed care for patients who need it.
How similar studies have performed: Previous AI tools have helped with triage and patient flow in some settings, but continuously self‑correcting, real‑time monitoring systems are relatively new and need more real‑world proof.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston Children's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: La Cava, William — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: La Cava, William
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 below.