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Institution: Indiana University
Grant Title: Improving Management of Test Results that Return after Hospital Discharge
Grant Number: K08 HS018539
Duration: 4 years (2009-2013)
Total Award: $577,500

Project Description: This project has four aims:

1. Develop and implement a computerized tool (PRP tool) which automatically identifies tests with pending results at hospital discharge and assists in incorporating these tests into the discharge summary.
2. Evaluate the impact of this tool on accuracy with which pending tests are documented in discharge summaries.
3. Modify an existing clinical messaging program to enable automatic delivery of returning results for pending tests to the designated outpatient follow-up providers.
4. Evaluate how the automatic delivery of test results impacts follow-up providers' actions and attitudes.

Career Goals: Dr. Were is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics at Indiana University. He received his MD from Harvard Medical School and later earned his MS in Clinical Research from Indiana University School of Medicine. The grantee's long-term career objective is to be a successful independent physician investigator with a focus on implementing and evaluating informatics-based interventions to improve quality of care and patient safety.

Progress to Date: The first year was spent developing the tool for incorporating pending tests into the discharge summary.

Future Plans: Dr. Were will evaluate the impact of the PRP tool on the accuracy with which pending tests are documented in discharge summaries. Formal usability testing of the tool will be conducted. The PRP tool will be enhanced to allow it to deliver results of tests that were identified as pending to the outpatient follow-up providers.

Highlights and Specific Accomplishments:

• Winner, Student Paper Award, American Medical Informatics Association Annual Symposium, 2008.

K-Generated Publications: None thus far.

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