Digital snapshot to reduce restraints and improve emergency care for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Official title: Use of a Digital Snapshot to Reduce Use of Restraints During Emergency Department Visits and Improve Experience of Care for PWIDD
Run by Northwell Health · NCT06986863 · Data updated 2026-11-12
We will test whether the Always Uniquely Me mobile app can reduce use of physical restraints and improve emergency department experiences for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 1500 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Northwell Health Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (New Hyde Park, New York) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 24, 2025 |
| Main results expected | December 31, 2027 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | May 19, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06986863 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adults (18+) with a confirmed intellectual or developmental disability who have visited a Northwell Health ED in the last 12 months, have a smartphone or tablet with internet access, and prefer English.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients without a smartphone or tablet, those who do not use English as their preferred language, children under 18, or people who cannot engage with a digital snapshot are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This interventional study compares use of the Always Uniquely Me (AUM) mobile application versus usual care among adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have visited a Northwell Health emergency department in the past year. Participants use the AUM app to share a brief digital snapshot of their communication needs, preferences, and supports during ED visits, and outcomes during ED encounters are recorded. Primary outcomes include frequency of physical restraints used and measures of patient experience; investigators will also analyze how participant characteristics influence results. The trial is conducted at Northwell Health’s Cohen Children’s Medical Center and requires participants to have a smartphone or tablet and English as a preferred language.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the app could reduce use of physical restraints and improve communication and overall emergency department experiences for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
How similar studies have gone: Related approaches using personal health profiles and communication aids have shown promise in improving hospital experiences for people with disabilities, but evidence that a mobile 'digital snapshot' specifically reduces restraint use is limited and somewhat novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria for primary participant/PWIDD (person with intellectual and/or developmental disability): * have visited a Northwell Health Emergency Department in the last 12 months * have a confirmed intellectual and/or developmental disability * must be 18 years of age or older at enrollment * have a smart phone or tablet that connects to the internet * have a preferred language of English
Where it's running
-
Cohen Children's Medical Center
New Hyde Park, New York, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Sophia Jan Division Chief, MD, MSHP
- Email: sjan1@northwell.edu
- Phone: (516) 465-4377
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.