We're Expanding Inpatient Clinical Trials to Improve Patient Care

The complex medical conditions that hospitalized patients often face frequently require advanced treatment strategies. Recognizing this need, we launched the Inpatient Clinical Trials and Research Program to embed research directly into hospital care. Led by Lana Wahid, MD, vice chair of research in the Department of Medicine, this initiative is transforming how clinical trials are conducted, ensuring that hospitalized patients have access to cutting-edge treatments in real time. 

“Our goal is to make research an integral part of the hospital experience, so that patients—regardless of their location—can benefit from the latest advancements in medicine,” says Dr. Wahid. “The discoveries we make will not only shape the care we provide here at Carilion but will also inform treatment approaches for hospitals across the country.” 

Our inpatient research program has already contributed to treatment strategies for sepsis, bloodstream infections, pneumonia, COPD and COVID-19. The program is expanding into additional community hospitals in our rural areas to ensure that research advances are accessible to more patient populations, particularly those who have historically been underrepresented in clinical studies. 

“Expanding clinical trials into rural hospitals is essential to improving access to healthcare," says Dr. Wahid. “When we include a broader range of patients in our studies, we generate findings that are more applicable to real-world hospital settings, leading to better treatment decisions and improved health outcomes for everyone.” 

In fact, the impact of this research extends beyond direct patient care. Recognizing its leadership in hospital-based research, our program has been featured at national conferences and in high-impact scientific publications, including New England Journal of Medicine, Microorganisms, CHEST, The Lancet, American Journal of Critical Care, and the American Heart Association’s Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology (ATVB). 

“Our research is not only helping patients today but is shaping the future of inpatient care,” says Dr. Wahid.

Jon Sweet, MD, chair of the Department of Medicine, agrees and says, "Dr. Wahid and her team are building an outstanding foundation for high-value, patient-centered research in the Department of Medicine. She is working hard to ensure that patients who choose Carilion for their healthcare have increasing access to some of tomorrow’s treatments today.”

The inpatient trials unit at CNRV recently enrolled its first patient, and the Rockbridge unit is gearing up, so we look forward to sharing more about clinical research in the future.