Telemedicine to boost heart failure guideline therapy in rural patients
Official title: Leveraging Telemedicine to Improve guideline-directed Medical Therapy Use and Outcomes Among Rural Patients with Heart Failure- the RURAL-HF Trial
Funded at Ut Southwestern Medical Center · NIH-11443251 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether telemedicine can help rural heart failure patients receive the right heart failure medicines and improve health outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | March 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $834,657 |
| NIH project number | 1R01MD021645-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11443251 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with heart failure in rural communities who are hospitalized for acute heart failure and have access to telehealth-supported care teams.
✕Less likely to help
Patients in areas without remote connectivity or providers unable to participate in telehealth may not benefit.
What this research studies
In rural areas, people with heart failure often die earlier than urban patients largely because they don’t get the guideline-recommended medicines at the right doses. The trial will enroll 600 patients hospitalized for acute heart failure at rural hospitals and use telemedicine to connect community providers with heart failure specialists who guide initiation and uptitration of therapies. It takes a type 1 hybrid approach, combining real-world effectiveness with implementation research across multiple centers. Results could show how telehealth and remote monitoring can close gaps in access and improve medication use and outcomes for rural patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, rural patients with heart failure could receive lifesaving medications more consistently and improve survival and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Prior pilot studies showed feasibility, but this trial is the first adequately powered randomized study focused on rural GDMT optimization.
Where this research is happening
-
Ut Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pandey, Ambarish — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Pandey, Ambarish
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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.