Not yet recruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

The LIFT-ECHO Last Mile Project

This study, called LIFT-ECHO Last Mile Project, looks at improving care for people with intestinal failure. Intestinal failure means your gut can't absorb enough nutrients, and people often need special feeding through a drip (parenteral nutrition). The project uses a learning programme called LIFT-ECHO. This programme connects doctors who see patients with intestinal failure with specialist teams. They discuss patient cases and learn new information. The study wants to find out if doctors attending these sessions leads to better health and improved quality of life for their patients. It also aims to create a new way to measure how well patients are doing. The project will run for about 34 months.

At a glance

Status

Not yet recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Enrolment target

150

Start

01 Jul 2026

Estimated completion

30 Jun 2030

Intestinal Failure

What is this study about?

This research project is designed to help people living with a serious condition called intestinal failure. Intestinal failure means your body can't absorb enough food and liquid from your gut, so patients often need special feeding through a vein, called parenteral nutrition (PN). This study focuses on improving the care these patients receive.

The main idea behind this study is a learning programme for doctors called LIFT-ECHO. Imagine a series of online meetings where doctors who care for patients with intestinal failure can learn from top specialist teams. These sessions involve discussing real, but anonymous, patient cases and getting updates from experts. The aim is to help these doctors improve their knowledge and skills in managing intestinal failure. The study will then check if doctors taking part in LIFT-ECHO makes a positive difference to their patients' health and wellbeing.

Over the course of the study, which will last about 34 months, researchers will also work on creating a new, easy-to-understand way to measure how well patients with intestinal failure are doing. Finally, the project aims to share the LIFT-ECHO programme widely, so more doctors and patients across the country can benefit from this improved learning and care.

Key takeaways

A study to improve care for people with intestinal failure.
Doctors learn from specialists in an online program called LIFT-ECHO.
Aims to see if better doctor knowledge improves patient health and quality of life.
Patients participate through surveys and monthly phone calls.
No changes to your current medical treatment.
You can stop participating at any time.

Who may be eligible?

To be part of this study, you would need to be an adult (18 or older) diagnosed with chronic intestinal failure for at least six months. This means you've been having special feeding through a vein (parenteral nutrition, or PN) because your gut can't absorb food properly, and you don't have cancer or HIV. Also, you must currently be receiving your PN from a home health service company. Children aged 5 and older can also take part with their parents' permission and their own agreement.

Doctors taking part in the study must be 18 or older, hold a medical degree (MD or DO), and be licensed to prescribe medications through a home health service company.

People who can't make decisions for themselves, prisoners, or children over 5 who don't want to take part won't be included in this study.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years old or older (or 5-17 with parental consent)?
Have you been diagnosed with chronic intestinal failure (on PN for >6 months)?
Are you currently receiving your PN from a home health service company?
Do you not have cancer or HIV?
If a child, do you agree to participate?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you're a patient joining this study, you'll be asked to fill out surveys when you start to tell us about your quality of life and current health. After that, a member of the study team will call you once a month for 12 months to check in and see how you're doing. These phone calls will help the researchers understand if there are any changes in your health or how you feel.

If you're a doctor participating, you'll also complete surveys at the start and each month. You might be invited to workshops or group discussions. The main part for doctors is to take part in the LIFT-ECHO learning sessions, which are optional but encouraged. These sessions are held twice a month, last 60-90 minutes, and discuss patient cases and expert talks. Your participation in LIFT-ECHO will be for 8 sessions over 2-4 months. The total study for everyone will last about 34 months.

Potential risks and benefits

A potential benefit of this study for patients is that if the LIFT-ECHO program improves doctors' knowledge, it could lead to better overall care and potentially an improved quality of life for you. For doctors, participating offers a valuable opportunity to learn from specialists and enhance their skills. The main risks for patients involve the time commitment for surveys and phone calls; there are no medical procedures or changes to your treatment. For doctors, the main commitment is time for surveys, workshops, and the LIFT-ECHO sessions. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time without affecting your medical care.

Locations (5)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Verified postcode
New York, United States
New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM)
Verified postcode
New York, United States
Rhode Island Hospital
Verified postcode
Providence, United States
University of Utah
Verified postcode
Salt Lake City, United States
London School of Economics and Political Science
Verified postcode
London, United Kingdom

Common questions

What is 'Intestinal Failure'?

Intestinal failure means your gut can't absorb enough nutrients from food and drink, so people often need special feeding through a drip.

What is the LIFT-ECHO program?

It's an online learning program where doctors caring for patients with intestinal failure meet with specialists to discuss cases and learn more.

Will my regular medical care change if I join?

No, your regular medical care and treatment will not change. We are just observing the effects of doctor learning.

How long will I be involved in the study?

Patients will fill out initial surveys and then have monthly phone calls for 12 months. Doctors will participate in learning sessions for 2-4 months, plus surveys.

Can I stop participating if I want to?

Yes, you can leave the study at any time, and it will not affect your medical care.

How to find out more

Marjorie Nisenholtz

marjorie.nisenholtz@mountsinai.org 212-659-8049 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.