Project Grant R01DK147932

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases awarded the University of Pittsburgh $735,900 on September 1, 2026, under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847) to research electronic consultation (eConsult) practices for pediatric obesity care.

The award funds a five-year investigation (through May 31, 2031) into best practices for asynchronous subspecialty consultation in pediatric obesity management, with focus on Medicaid-insured children who face barriers accessing pediatric endocrinologists, gastroenterologists, cardiologists, nephrologists, and sleep medicine specialists. The project addresses a gap: Federal Medicaid authorization of eConsults in January 2023 prompted adoption across 22 states within 24 months, but state-level variation in authorization and use has created urgent questions about optimal eConsult deployment for youth with obesity and comorbidities including type 2 diabetes, steatotic liver disease, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea. Without evidence-based guidance, eConsults risk either underutilization (limiting health impact) or supply-induced overuse (increasing utilization without improving outcomes). The research will generate guidance for payers, health systems, and clinicians on eConsult implementation within the pediatric Medicaid population.

Place of performance is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.