Safer outpatient care options for low-risk pulmonary embolism after an ER visit
Official title: Michigan Emergency Department Improvement Collaborative AltERnaTives to admission for Pulmonary Embolism (MEDIC ALERT PE) Study
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11257997 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A program that helps emergency doctors safely treat people with low-risk pulmonary embolism at home with anticoagulant medicines and arranged follow-up.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $774,549 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL163438-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11257997 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who come to a participating emergency department with an acute pulmonary embolism that clinicians judge to be low risk and who can take anticoagulant medicines and attend outpatient follow-up are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are clinically unstable, judged high-risk for complications, or who cannot reliably access anticoagulant medication or follow-up care are unlikely to benefit from outpatient management.
What this research studies
You would be part of a program rolled out across many emergency departments in Michigan that aims to make it easier for doctors to send low-risk pulmonary embolism patients home instead of admitting them. The team will tailor a multi-part package of supports — such as decision tools for clinicians, reliable access to anticoagulant medicines, and scheduled outpatient follow-up — using input from local hospitals. They will implement this package through the Michigan Emergency Department Improvement Collaborative and track how often patients are treated as outpatients and how they do afterward. The project focuses on real-world emergency care and on making the approach work for diverse hospitals and patients across the state.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reduce unnecessary hospital stays, get patients home sooner with safe treatment, and improve access to timely follow-up care.
How similar studies have gone: Previous single-center and smaller studies have shown that outpatient treatment for selected low-risk PE patients can be safe, but broad multi-site implementation has not been widely tested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Barnes, Geoffrey Douglas — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Barnes, Geoffrey Douglas
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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AI-powered tool to better predict and manage acute pulmonary embolism
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Endovascular vortex ultrasound to treat blood clots in the lungs
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Supplemental Oxygen for Pulmonary Embolism: A Mechanistic Look at How Oxygen Helps the Heart and Lungs
This NIH grant tests how giving extra oxygen affects lung pressure and heart strain in people with acute pulmonary embolism, with supportive animal studies to understand the biology.
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Pulmonary embolism: catheter-directed clot removal for better outcomes
This trial tests whether delivering clot-dissolving medication directly to the lungs via a catheter helps people with submassive pulmonary embolism feel better and function better, with fewer bleeding risks.
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Pulmonary embolism treatment with catheter-directed thrombus removal versus no catheter therapy
This study tests whether removing clot with a targeted catheter approach helps people with submassive pulmonary embolism feel better and move more easily, compared with not using catheter therapy.
-
Molecular and imaging study of blood clots and inflammation in pulmonary embolism
A research project uses a mouse model to understand how blood clots and inflammatory cells affect pulmonary embolism and its outcomes, with the goal of better diagnosis and treatment for people with PE.
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.