Randomized Trial of Electronic Decision Support to Improve Care for Adults with Steatotic Liver Disease

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the effectiveness of an electronic clinical decision support system called eMPOWER for managing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease MASLD. This randomized trial aims to improve provider decision-making and assess how well the system is accepted and integrated within primary care, endocrinology, and gastroenterology settings. The study is conducted within clinical practices at Vanderbilt University Medical Center over three years with individual participant follow-up for 12 months. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups usual care or the intervention group using the eMPOWER decision aid. This electronic tool is embedded in the health record and alerts providers with patient-specific recommendations based on clinical data and risk profiles during and between clinical encounters. The study compares usual care with the use of this decision support system to see if it improves linkage to hepatology care and completion of fibrosis assessments and referrals. During the study, participants undergo routine clinical visits where providers receive or do not receive decision support alerts depending on the group. Researchers will track outcomes such as referral orders to hepatology, completion of elastography testing, and timing of these procedures over 12 months. They will also collect post-study feedback from clinicians about the decision aid. The total participation timeline per individual is approximately one year, with data collected from baseline through follow-up appointments.

A Study of Electronic Clinical Decision Support Tools for Steatotic Liver Disease