Safer, more accurate early sepsis care in the emergency room

Diagnostic Safety and Quality Optimization in Sepsis (DISQOS)

['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · NIH-11142988

This project will create practical tools to help emergency departments give fast, safe antibiotics to adults with possible sepsis while reducing unnecessary treatment.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorUNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR (nih funded)
Locations1 site (ANN ARBOR, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11142988 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

If you come to the emergency department with possible sepsis, researchers will study how hospitals decide who gets rapid antibiotics by looking at charts, performance data, and staff interviews across different sites. They will use safety science and implementation methods to learn which diagnostic practices work best in which clinical settings. The team will turn those findings into a practical toolkit and test ways to put the toolkit into routine emergency care. The overall aim is to reduce missed sepsis and lower harm from unnecessary antibiotic use.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults who present to an emergency department with suspected sepsis or signs of serious infection are the patients most directly affected and could be involved.

Not a fit: People without suspected infection, most children, and patients treated exclusively in outpatient settings are unlikely to be included or directly benefit from this project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to quicker recognition of true sepsis and fewer unnecessary antibiotics, reducing both deaths and treatment-related harms.

How similar studies have performed: While rapid antibiotic treatment for confirmed sepsis is well supported, approaches specifically focused on reducing diagnostic errors and tailoring treatment to context are less established and represent a newer, implementation-focused direction.

Where this research is happening

ANN ARBOR, 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.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 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.