Time-limited trials to guide care for seriously ill patients in the ICU
Official title: A Type 2 Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Study of Time Limited Trials to Reduce Potentially Non-Beneficial Treatments for Critically Ill Patients with Advanced Medical Illnesses
Funded at Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center · NIH-11423659 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A real-world study tests using structured, time-limited conversations and agreed-upon treatment plans to help seriously ill patients and their families avoid non-beneficial ICU care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Torrance, United States) |
| Project start | September 25, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $654,728 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG095167-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11423659 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with advanced medical illnesses admitted to ICUs who and their surrogates are willing to engage in time-limited trial discussions.
✕Less likely to help
Patients unlikely to participate in structured discussions or who have goals incompatible with the time-limited trial approach.
What this research studies
This project tests a structured approach where clinicians, patients, and surrogate decision-makers discuss goals of care and prognosis, agree on specific time-limited treatment plans, and reassess at defined intervals. It uses a pragmatic stepped-wedge design in ICU settings to see if the approach can be scaled in real healthcare systems. The goal is to improve shared decision-making, ensure care aligns with patient goals, and reduce use of treatments that may not help and could prolong suffering.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients may receive care that better matches their goals and avoid unwanted aggressive treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data from a pilot suggested improved decision-making and reduced non-beneficial ICU treatments with TLTs.
Where this research is happening
-
Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Torrance, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chang, Dong Wook — Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Chang, Dong Wook
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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.