M-CaRE: Mobile clinics and a smart care tool for heart and lung health
Official title: mHealth and Mobile Clinics for Implementation of Care for Cardiac and Respiratory Multimorbidity (M-CaRE)
Funded at Columbia University Health Sciences · NIH-11280593 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-friendly program uses mobile clinics and a simple digital tool to help prevent and treat high blood pressure and COPD for adults, especially in rural areas and underserved communities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | August 20, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $578,452 |
| NIH project number | 1R01TW013366-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11280593 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 and older receiving care at participating primary care sites, including populations in rural areas and urban centers serving underserved communities.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not meeting the program’s clinical criteria or not receiving care from participating sites may not experience direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project will bring a lightweight, multilingual clinical decision support tool to primary care settings and train community health workers to use it. It adapts WHO PEN guidelines for people with two common heart-lung conditions, aiming to simplify screening, diagnosis, and treatment in low-literacy environments. The approach includes direct transfer of the tool and training to U.S. clinics, with validation steps based on partnerships in northeast India. The study will focus on real-world use in primary care to see how well the system works in practice and how it can be scaled. The goal is to reduce gaps in care for hypertension and COPD where access to specialists is limited.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive earlier detection and more consistent treatment for heart and lung conditions, reducing complications and hospital visits.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show that mobile health tools and CHW-supported care can improve screening and management in underserved communities, though integration into U.S. primary care is still being explored.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia University Health Sciences
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Masterson Creber, Ruth Marie — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Masterson Creber, Ruth Marie
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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.