UF Health to participate in patient-focused research project

UF Health will take part in implementing a patient-focused research project as part of an award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). The UF Health site is one of six in the United States and Canada. 

Joshua Sappenfield, MD

Joshua Sappenfield, M.D., associate professor of anesthesiology and emergency medicine, is the primary investigator for the site, and will be assisted by the Department of Anesthesiology’s Division of Acute Pain Medicine. The project will implement the results of a PCORI-funded study, A Practical Intervention to Improve Patient-Centered Outcomes after Hip Fractures among Older Adults (REGAIN Trial).

The REGAIN trial found that recovery after hip fracture surgery was similar whether the patient had general anesthesia or spinal anesthesia.

The new project, My Anesthesia Choice: Implementing an Evidence-Based Approach to Increase Shared Decision Making, will focus on refining and implementing a shared decision-making strategy to help increase patient knowledge about spinal and general anesthesia. Shared decision-making strategies are patient-centered models that promote dialogue and collaboration between patients and clinicians.

Sappenfield says that one of the primary ethics goals in anesthesiology is for the patient to have autonomy and be able to give informed consent. “At the time of a hip fracture, the patient is in pain, is overwhelmed by the amount of new information, and has a short timeframe before making decisions about their care,” Sappenfield said. “This is supposed to help with the anesthesia portion of their care and address common concerns elderly patients have.”

Interested in joining our faculty? Learn more.