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Pictographs for Preventing Wrong-Patient Errors in NICUs
NCT03960099 · View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Study Summary
Newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are at high risk for wrong-patient errors. Effective 2019, The Joint Commission requires that health systems adopt distinct methods of newborn identification as part of its National Patient Safety Goals. Displaying patient photographs in the electronic health record (EHR) is a promising strategy to improve identification of children and adults, but is unlikely to be effective for identifying newborns. This study assesses the use of Pictographs as a "photo equivalent" for improving identification of newborns in the NICU. This multi-site, two-arm, parallel group, cluster randomized controlled trial will test the effectiveness of Pictographs for preventing wrong-patient order errors in the NICU. Pictographs consist of three elements: 1) pictorial symbols of easy-to-remember objects (e.g., rainbow, lion); 2) the infant's given name (when available); and 3) a color-coded border indicating the infant's sex. The study will be conducted at three academic medical centers that utilize Epic EHR. All parents or guardians will be asked to select a unique Pictograph for each infant admitted to the NICU to be displayed on the isolette and in the EHR for the duration of the infant's hospital stay. All clinicians with the authority to place electronic orders in the study NICUs will be randomly assigned to either the intervention arm (Pictographs displayed in the EHR) or the control arm (no Pictographs displayed in the EHR). The main hypothesis is that clinicians assigned to view Pictographs in the EHR will have a significantly lower rate of wrong-patient order errors in the NICU versus clinicians assigned to no Pictographs. The primary outcome is wrong-patient order sessions, defined as a series of orders placed for a single patient by a single clinician that contains at least one wrong-patient order. The Wrong-Patient Retract-and-Reorder (RAR) measure, a validated, reliable, and automated method for identifying wrong-patient ord
Conditions Studied
Interventions
- BEHAVIORAL Pictograph in Banner and Verification Alert
Study Locations (4)
New York
- New York-Presbyterian Hospital — New York
- Montefiore Medical Center — The Bronx
Maryland
- Johns Hopkins Medicine — Baltimore
Massachusetts
- Brigham and Women's Hospital — Boston
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 6,250 participants |
| Start Date | 2022-03-16 |
| Est. Completion | 2028-06-30 |
| Phase | NA |
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Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗What the Registry Record Tells You About NCT03960099
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT03960099 describes a study currently listed as recruiting. It is categorized as NA, which is the standard way researchers label where a study sits along the investigational pathway from early safety work through later efficacy and post-marketing evaluation. The registered enrollment target is 6,250 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is Columbia University, which has 875 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov, and sponsors are the parties responsible for study design, oversight, and regulatory filings.
The record links to 2 conditions, with Medical Errors appearing as the primary indexed condition, and to 1 intervention — of which Pictograph in Banner and Verification Alert is the first listed. Interventions can include drugs, devices, procedures, behavioral programs, or observational arms, and each is tracked as a separate registry field so that downstream queries can filter accurately. When a trial lists multiple interventions, it usually reflects a multi-arm design or a comparison protocol rather than a single treatment being tested in isolation. The brief summary published in the registry is the clearest source of protocol intent and should be read before drawing conclusions from any sidebar tags.
Geographic footprint matters for practical reasons: NCT03960099 reports 4 study locations spanning 3 distinct geographic areas — top geographies include New York, Maryland, Massachusetts. A larger site network tends to correlate with broader recruitment capacity, but it does not imply anything about study quality, and site-level enrollment status can diverge from the overall registry status shown above. Every data point on this page comes from the public ClinicalTrials.gov dataset and is reproduced here for reference only; it is not a medical recommendation, an endorsement of the sponsor, or an invitation to enroll. Verify current status, eligibility criteria, and contact details directly at ClinicalTrials.gov, and discuss any participation decision with your own healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clinical trial NCT03960099 about?
NCT03960099 is a clinical study titled "Pictographs for Preventing Wrong-Patient Errors in NICUs". Newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are at high risk for wrong-patient errors. Effective 2019, The Joint Commission requires that health systems adopt distinct methods of newborn identification as part of its National Patient Safety Goals. Displaying patient photographs in the electr...
What is the current status of trial NCT03960099?
This trial is currently recruiting. It is a NA study. The enrollment target is 6,250 participants. The study started on 2022-03-16. Estimated completion is 2028-06-30.
What conditions does trial NCT03960099 study?
This clinical trial studies the following conditions: Medical Errors, Electronic Medical Records. These conditions were identified from the trial registry and reflect the primary focus areas of the research.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT03960099?
The interventions under investigation include: Pictograph in Banner and Verification Alert (BEHAVIORAL). Each intervention is being evaluated for safety and efficacy as part of this clinical study.
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT03960099?
This trial is sponsored by Columbia University, which has 875 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The sponsor is responsible for the study's design, funding, and regulatory compliance.
Where is trial NCT03960099 being conducted?
This trial has 4 study locations across Maryland, Massachusetts, New York. Contact the study sites directly through ClinicalTrials.gov for enrollment availability.
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