# Health IT generated PROs to Improve Outcomes in Cirrhosis

> **NIH AHRQ R01** · VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $394,563

## Abstract

Patients with cirrhosis are prone to clinical and psycho-social issues that manifest as patient-reported
outcomes (PRO), which can independently predict hospitalization, re-hospitalizations and death. Our group
has studied the impact of these PRO extensively. With the increasing spread of health-related electronic
devices, the relevance of health IT in the management of chronic diseases such as cirrhosis is paramount. The
team has already developed and used several health IT advances to educate patients and their caregivers in
inpatient and outpatient settings. These tools include Patient Buddy to prevent avoidable readmissions and
EncephalApp Stroop to detect and guide therapy for cognitive dysfunction in cirrhosis. However the evaluation
of these tools in a multi-center study that adapts to the status of the patients and their caregivers is required.
The central hypothesis is that cirrhotic patients randomized to health IT interventions that elicit PROs in
a structured outpatient setting will have a significantly greater reduction in hospital readmissions
because of improved communication with their medical teams compared to standard of care
regardless of scheduled return outpatient visits. This will be tested using the following two specific aims in
three centers (Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA Medical Center and Mayo Clinic).
Specific Aim 1: To evaluate in a multi-center, randomized trial the effectiveness of PROs elicited using
PatientBuddy and EncephalApp with and without scheduled outpatients return visits on the prevention
of avoidable 30 day readmissions in patients with cirrhosis and their caregivers compared to standard
of care. We will include 450 total cirrhotic patients and 450 caregivers (150 patients and 150 caregivers per
center), who will be followed for 30 days post-discharge. The groups will be randomized 1:1:1 into a standard
of care group, a group receiving health IT interventions who will receive PatientBuddy and EncephalApp with
as-needed follow-up and another group that receives the same health IT interventions along with scheduled
outpatient visits and calls within 30 days of discharge. Avoidable readmissions will be adjudged using a blinded
adjudication committee and the differences between the three groups will be compared.
Specific aim 2: To incorporate the opinion of key stakeholders (patients, caregivers and nurse
managers) towards improving the Patient Buddy App in the prevention of readmission in cirrhosis. As
part of this trial, we will also elicit feedback regarding the ease, safety and personal effectiveness of these
interventions as well as their personal comfort and educational value of the App with and without the scheduled
outpatient follow-up, from the patients, caregivers and administering staff. This will be compared between
centers and used to enhance the Patient Buddy App in collaboration with our technology partners. The
updated App will then be available for future studies in larger ci...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9881235
- **Project number:** 5R01HS025412-03
- **Recipient organization:** VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Jasmohan S Bajaj
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** AHRQ
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $394,563
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-06-11 → 2023-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9881235

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9881235, Health IT generated PROs to Improve Outcomes in Cirrhosis (5R01HS025412-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9881235. Licensed CC0.

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