Using an AI tool to help ER doctors decide heart-attack care for people with dementia
Official title: Project 1 - HEARTSPOT: Evaluating a Machine Learning System to Aid Decision-Making in the Emergency Department for Patients with ADRD
Funded at National Bureau of Economic Research · NIH-11195561 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will use an AI tool inside the electronic health record to give emergency doctors clearer information when deciding heart-attack care for older adults with Alzheimer's and related dementias.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | National Bureau of Economic Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 1997 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $374,537 |
| NIH project number | 5P01AG005842-36 |
| Project ID | NIH-11195561 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias who come to a participating emergency department with chest pain or suspected acute coronary syndrome would be the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without suspected cardiac problems, those treated outside the participating health system's emergency departments, or those with conditions unrelated to acute coronary syndrome are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
From a patient's view, an algorithm will run within a hospital's electronic records to spot signs of acute coronary syndrome (heart attack) in people with dementia and summarize each patient's risk for the treating clinician. The tool will produce a clear decision aid at the point when emergency clinicians choose a treatment path. Its effect will be tested by turning the tool on for some emergency encounters or sites and comparing outcomes to usual care. The team hopes the algorithm fills information gaps that often make cardiac decisions harder for patients with Alzheimer's and related dementias.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help ER clinicians make safer, more accurate heart-attack treatment decisions for people with Alzheimer's and related dementias.
How similar studies have gone: Other AI risk tools and clinical decision aids in emergency medicine have shown promise, but applying such tools specifically to people with dementia is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
National Bureau of Economic Research
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Baicker, Katherine — National Bureau of Economic Research
- Study coordinator: Baicker, Katherine
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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.