Current Research Projects

Project Spotlights

Center for Home Care Policy & Research Collaborates with Columbia University School of Nursing and Medical Center on Two Innovative Research Studies Using Audio-Recorded Data

Using automated speech processing to improve identification of risk for hospitalizations and emergency department visits in home healthcare

The goal of this study is to predict the risk of negative outcomes (e.g., hospitalization and emergency department visits) for patients who need home healthcare visits. We aim to analyze the audio-recorded verbal communications between patients and clinicians during home healthcare visits. The analysis results will help us to estimate the risk of negative outcomes. As a result, clinicians would be able to prioritize patients for receiving timely care and reduce the risk of negative outcomes.

Development of a screening algorithm for timely identification of patients with mild cognitive impairment and early dementia in home healthcare

The goal of this study is to develop an automated screening algorithm for proactive identification of home healthcare home healthcare patients with sign/symptoms of mild cognitive impairment and early dementia. We will audio-record and analyze the patient-nurse verbal communication to develop this screening algorithm. This algorithm can be integrated into home healthcare workflow to raise the attention of home healthcare teams (particularly nurses) to their home healthcare patient’s cognitive function for further evaluation. 

Active Projects & Performance Summaries

Active Federally Funded Grants

• NIH R01 (University of Pennsylvania Prime, VNS Health Subawardee): I-TRANSFER Improving transitions and outcomes of sepsis survivors
• AHRQ R01 (Columbia University Prime, VNS Health Subawardee): Disparities in Infection in Home Health and Patients/Caregivers’ Perceptions (Dis-Infection in HHC)
• NIA K01 (VNS Health Prime): Supporting Dementia Caregivers During Medicare Home Health: Developing the DECLARE Needs Assessment Intervention
• NIA R01 (Columbia University Prime, VNS Health Subawardee): Using automated speech processing to improve identification of risk for hospitalizations and emergency department visits in home healthcare
• NHLBI R01 (Weill Cornell Prime, VNS Health Subawardee): I-TRANSFER-HF: Improving TRansitions ANd OutcomeS for Heart FailurE Patients in Home Health Care: A Type 1 Hybrid Effectiveness/Implementation Trial
• NIA R01 (University of Pennsylvania Prime, VNS Health Subawardee): Improving Care Transitions and Self-care among Informal Caregivers of Hospitalized Older Adults through Digital Tools
• NIA R03: (VNS Health Prime): Investigating Changes in Home Health Access and Quality for Medicare Beneficiaries with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Following Recent Payment Systems Revisions
• NIMHD R01 (Columbia University Prime, VNS Health Subawardee): Optimizing Clinical Documentation Quality to Reduce Health Disparities in Home Healthcare: The ENGAGE Study
• NIA K23 (New York University Prime, VNS Health Subawardee): ENGAGE-D: DEsigNing Care ManaGement for Hospice TrAnistions for Diverse Persons LivinG with AdvancEd Dementia
• NIH R00 (Columbia University Prime, VNS Health Subawardee): Development of a Screening Algorithm for Timely Identification of Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early Dementia in Homecare

Click the study titles below for additional details on these projects.