Matching post-surgery patients to the right level of hospital care
Aligning Patient Acuity with Resource Intensity after Major Surgery
This project uses explainable AI to help match people who’ve had major surgery to the right level of care—ICU, regular ward, or safe discharge—to lower risks and avoid unnecessary ICU stays.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11247557 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I have major surgery, the team will build computer models that use medical records to estimate how much care I need at admission, during transfers, and at discharge. They will first check the models against past records from dozens of hospitals, then test them in real clinical settings across multiple centers. The models are designed to be explainable, fair, and to report uncertainty so clinicians can understand and trust recommendations. The project will follow outcomes like complications, deaths, and costs to see whether aligning care level with model-based acuity improves results.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults undergoing major inpatient surgery at participating hospitals who face decisions about ICU admission, transfer, or discharge would be the primary candidates.
Not a fit: People having minor outpatient procedures, non-surgical patients, or those already clearly too unstable or clearly requiring ICU-level care may not benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lower complications and deaths and reduce unnecessary ICU stays and costs for people after major surgery.
How similar studies have performed: Single-hospital studies have shown overtriage and undertriage and promising model results, but large multi-hospital, prospective, explainable-AI implementations remain relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Gainesville, United States
- University of Florida — Gainesville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Loftus, Tyler J — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Loftus, Tyler J
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.