Bharat Kumar, MD, MME, FACP, RhMSUS, clinical assistant professor in Immunology, has received a $49,999 DxQI Seed Grant from the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM). Kumar’s project, “Reducing Delays in Diagnosing Primary Immunodeficiency Through the Development and Implementation of a Clinical Decision Support Tool,” aims to reduce many of the barriers physicians face when diagnosing Primary Immunodeficiencies.

Primary Immunodeficiencies are difficult to diagnose because of variability of clinical presentation, knowledge gaps among providers, and a shortage of clinically trained immunologists. This has major consequences, since delays in diagnosis can decrease patient quality of life and increase healthcare costs.

“Thanks to the DxQI seed grant program, our team is developing a clinical decision support tool to identify patients at risk for undiagnosed primary immunodeficiencies,” Kumar said. “This tool will help patients navigate the health care system and obtain the care that they need in a faster and more appropriate manner.”

Kumar’s research team consists of Melissa Swee, MD, MME, clinical assistant professor in Nephrology and Senior Veterans Affairs Quality Scholar; Boyd Knosp, MS, associate dean for CCOM Information Technology and associate director for Biomedical Informatics Operations; Sam Zetumer, MD, PGY-3 internal medicine resident and rising Chief Resident; Ellen Keyser, Primary Immunodeficiency patient; Manish Suneja, MD, Internal Medicine Residency Program Director; and Benjamin Davis, MD, PhD, clinical associate professor in Immunology.