Making hospital records help older adults get age-friendly care
Leveraging the EHR to Promote Age-Friendly Care in Hospitals (LEAF)
This project will create an easy-to-read electronic health record tool to help hospital teams follow the four key actions that protect older patients' thinking and physical function.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ohio State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11252604 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As an older patient, I would have the 4Ms (what matters, mentation, medications, mobility) brought together in one clear spot in my electronic chart so every clinician can see them. The team will work with front-line hospital staff and national geriatric quality programs to design a “4Ms Navigator” that automatically collects and bookmarks geriatric assessments in real time. That navigator will be visible to the whole care team to guide decisions aimed at preventing delirium and loss of function. The work focuses on building the tool within hospital EHRs and testing it across participating hospitals to make age-friendly care easier to use.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Older adults admitted to participating hospitals, especially those at risk for delirium, cognitive problems, or functional decline, are the people most likely to be affected.
Not a fit: People who only receive outpatient care or who are treated at hospitals not using the participating EHR systems are unlikely to directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reduce hospital-acquired delirium and loss of physical function by making age-friendly practices easier for clinicians to follow.
How similar studies have performed: The 4Ms approach has existing evidence showing reductions in delirium and functional decline, but embedding the 4Ms into EHR navigators is a newer implementation approach.
Where this research is happening
Columbus, UNITED STATES
- Ohio State University — Columbus, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Southerland, Lauren T. — Ohio State University
- Study coordinator: Southerland, Lauren T.
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.