STAT-BRIDGE: Decision Support Tools Addressing TBI in BRIDGE

Every day in the United States, over 600 people end up in the hospital and about 190 lose their lives due to severe traumatic brain injuries (TBI). For almost half of these patients, bleeding in their brains gets worse after seeking hospital care. This often leads to longer stays in intensive care units (ICUs) and higher chances of dying or having lasting brain damage. Finding bleeding early is important because doctors can take steps to stop it with surgery or medication. Helping doctors know who is at risk for this dangerous bleeding and making it easier for doctors to process all the medical data needed to treat a serious brain injury, could improve care and outcomes for patients. This project (“Decision Support Tools Addressing TBI in BRIDGE” or “STAT-BRIDGE”) is designed to test an existing bleeding prediction tool and measure how helpful the tool is when displayed alongside other medical details on a dashboard (“BRIDGE”) within the patient’s electronic medical record.

This work will help people (Service Members, Veterans and civilians) with a TBI severe enough to need ICU care. TBI patients often have injuries so serious they could need brain surgery, breathing tubes, or special medications to keep them alive while they recover. It is important that doctors can quickly decide on the best course of care. The dashboard will make it easier for ICU doctors to digest complex medical data and arrive at treatment decisions for these very vulnerable patients. Another benefit is that the dashboard will follow the patient across their recovery. Both their hospital and outpatient care teams will have access to the patient’s information.

Meet the Team