The Department of Outcomes Research coordinates clinical research in the Anesthesiology Institute. Between 50 and 60 clinical research protocols are currently being performed in the general and cardiothoracic operating rooms, as well as the surgical and cardiovascular intensive care units and site in the Regional Practice. These studies range from investigator-initiated protocols to multicenter trials sponsored by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Department of Outcomes Research staff work with clinical investigators and research nurses to study:
- Outcome studies utilizing extensive patient registries
- Local anesthetic agents and regional block techniques
- Anesthetic technique monitoring and recovery in neurosurgery
- Postoperative cognitive dysfunction
- Cardiovascular drugs in adult and pediatric cardiac surgery
- Anesthesia for outpatient and minimally invasive surgery
- Muscle relaxant interactions and pharmacology
- Blood substitutes in the perioperative period
- New therapies in pain management
- Medical devices and advanced monitoring technology
- Techniques for clinical anesthesiology education and evaluation
- Hypothermia and neuroanesthesia
- Temperature and wound healing
- Prevention of postoperative ileus
- Perioperative glucose control