Understanding how clinical work affects mental strain and mistakes

Integrating real-time clinical activity and behavioral responses for characterizing cognitive load and errors (IGNITE)

['FUNDING_R01'] · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · NIH-10894033

This study is looking at how things like patient complexity and electronic health records affect how much mental effort healthcare providers have to use, with the goal of making their jobs easier and improving the care you receive.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorWASHINGTON UNIVERSITY (nih funded)
Locations1 site (SAINT LOUIS, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-10894033 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

This research investigates how various factors in clinical care, such as the complexity of patients and the use of electronic health records (EHRs), impact the cognitive load experienced by healthcare providers. By analyzing real-time data from EHR audit logs, the study aims to objectively measure the relationship between cognitive load and errors in clinical settings. This approach seeks to reduce the reliance on self-reported surveys and provide a clearer understanding of how clinician workload affects patient outcomes. Ultimately, the goal is to improve clinician well-being and enhance patient care through better management of cognitive load.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research include patients receiving care from clinicians who frequently use electronic health records in complex clinical environments.

Not a fit: Patients who are not receiving care in settings that utilize electronic health records may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved clinician performance and better patient outcomes by reducing errors associated with high cognitive load.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown promise in using EHR audit logs to assess clinician workload and its effects, indicating that this approach may lead to meaningful insights.

Where this research is happening

SAINT LOUIS, 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.