About

David G. Beiser, MD, MS, is an emergency physician‑scientist at the Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago. His work focuses on acute care clinical trials, clinical informatics, and medical education. He directs the university’s Emergency Trials Unit (ETU), supporting multi‑center studies in cardiac arrest, traumatic brain injury, hemorrhagic shock, and other time‑sensitive clinical trials. Dr. Beiser serves as Principal Investigator for the NIH‑funded Mid‑America CTSA Consortium (MACC) SIREN Regional Clinical Center, a network conducting large‑scale emergency care trials. He is board‑certified in Clinical Informatics and is core faculty for the University of Chicago Clinical Informatics Fellowship. His research integrates informatics and acute care through the development of computer adaptive screening and diagnostic tools, digital health interventions, and machine‑learning approaches analyzing physiologic signals, patient audio‑video data, and clinical documentation to support real‑time decision‑making. Within the Pritzker School of Medicine, Dr. Beiser is the course director for the Phase I Cell & Organ Physiology course and chairs the Artificial Intelligence in Medical Education Task Force.

Research topics

• Internal medicine
• Medicine
• Political Science
• Family medicine
• Law
• Emergency medicine
• Pathology
• Virology
• Surgery
• Anesthesia

Selected publications

• Prospective Assessment of Depression and Anxiety Trajectories Among Emergency Department Patients with Somatic Complaints

  Western Journal of Emergency Medicine · 2026-05-14

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Introduction: Emergency department (ED) patients exhibit higher rates of depression than those in primary care and the general population, but it is unclear whether these symptoms reflect chronic conditions or transient responses to acute stress. Our objective in this study was to evaluate the longitudinal trajectory of depression and anxiety identified in the ED to inform evidence-based screening and intervention strategies. Methods: Adult, English-speaking ED patients with adequate literacy who presented to two urban academic EDs with somatic (non-psychiatric) chief complaints completed six mental health screening assessments at enrollment. Of 262 approached patients, 188 were enrolled, representing approximately 0.5% of all adult ED visits (188/37,898) during the study period. Follow-up assessments were completed through a secure phone app at one, two, and four weeks after ED discharge. The primary outcome was the longitudinal stability of depression and anxiety symptoms. The secondary outcome was differences in follow-up completion rates by baseline mental health status. Results: Among 188 patients with baseline assessments, 44 (23%) screened positive for major depressive disorder, 17 (9%) for moderate/severe depression, and 34 (18%) for moderate/severe anxiety at baseline. Overall, 50 patients (27%) screened positive for at least one of these conditions. Follow-up responses at weeks 1 (n = 42, 22%), 2 (n = 41, 22%), and 4 (n = 27, 14%) showed no significant changes in levels of depression as measured by the Computerized Adaptive Test-Depression Inventory or severity of anxiety as per the Computerized Adaptive Test for Anxiety severity. High intraclass correlation coefficients (0.76-0.84) for all measures indicated inter-individual differences accounted for most variance. Stability of the Computerized Adaptive Diagnostic Test for Major Depressive Disorder ranged from moderate to substantial (Cohen kappa: 0.74 at week 1 to 0.46 at week 4). Patients who were positive for major depressive disorder had significantly higher follow-up completion rates at weeks 2 and 4 (P = .04). Conclusion: High baseline rates of depression and anxiety highlight the substantial mental health burden in ED patients. Among those who completed follow-up assessments, severity scores remained stable, suggesting these symptoms reflect ongoing conditions rather than transient stress. Future work should improve follow-up responses and assess whether ED-based identification and treatment improve outcomes.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Microbiome-Modified Metabolites Predict Acute Brain Injury Outcome 

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2026-01-01

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• 26-A-16675-ACC NATURAL LANGUAGE PROCESSING OUTPERFORMS ICD CODES FOR OUT-OF-HOSPITAL CARDIAC ARREST IDENTIFICATION

  Journal of the American College of Cardiology · 2026-03-27

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Risk Rulers for Rapid Screening and Detection of Suicide Risk in Acute Care

  Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior · 2026-05-20

  article

  INTRODUCTION: To develop fast, intuitive, and accurate suicide risk screening, this study aimed to optimize 0-to-10 point suicide risk rulers. METHODS: 662 adult patients from two emergency departments (EDs) completed five risk rulers, two best-practice screeners, and the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (CSSRS). Using the CSSRS as the reference, we calculated optimized cutoffs, performance metrics, and AUROCs for differentiating between negligible vs. elevated risk and non-high vs. high risk. Performances of rulers and best-practice screeners were compared. RESULTS: The rulers demonstrated acceptable performance when identifying elevated risk (AUROCs: 0.71-0.81) and stronger performance when identifying high risk (AUROCs: 0.91-0.95). The sadness ruler best predicted elevated risk (AUROC: 0.81 [95% CI: 0.76-0.86]; optimized score: 5 [3-7]; sensitivity: 0.71 [0.50-0.88]; specificity: 0.74 [0.61-0.89]). The suicidal ideation frequency ruler best predicted high risk (AUROC: 0.95 [0.85-1.00], optimized score: 2 [2-5]; sensitivity: 0.89 [0.60-1.00]; specificity: 0.95 [0.93-0.98]). The rulers outperformed a three-item primary screener, but not a longer 10-item primary and secondary screener, which best predicted both risk thresholds. CONCLUSIONS: Suicide risk rulers offer a fast, intuitive primary screening method for initial risk detection with acceptable operating characteristics. Our findings can inform the screening approach that best fits the needs of a given ED.

  PublisherDOI

• Abstract Sun403: High Quality Temperature Control Is Associated with Improved Outcome following Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

  Circulation · 2025-11-03

  article

  Introduction: The neuroprotective benefit of hypothermic temperature control (TC) has not consistently translated into clinical practice. We previously defined high quality (HQ) TC induction based on treatment-related factors. We set out to evaluate TC quality across three institutions and evaluate the association between TC quality and clinical outcomes. Methods: Retrospective analysis of institutional registry data collected between 2021-2024 in unresponsive out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors across three academic centers with established cardiac arrest programs. Eligible patients included those ≥18 years of age, treated with hypothermic TC (33-36°C), and admitted to an intensive care unit. A TC quality score was assigned for each patient (Figure 1). The primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. The secondary outcome was good neurologic outcome at hospital discharge, defined as a Cerebral Performance Category score of 1-3. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the relationship between quality of TC, binarized as HQ (≥ 3) or low-quality (LQ) TC (≤2), and outcomes. Results: Our cohort included 217 patients treated with TC. Patients were predominantly male (N=146, 67.3%) with a mean (standard deviation) age of 55.6 (15.9) years, suffered a non-shockable rhythm arrest (N=151, 69.6%) and received bystander CPR (N=118, 54.4%). The median [IQR] Pittsburgh Cardiac Arrest Category score was 4 [3,4], mean (SD) lactate 8.6 (7.6) mmol/L, and pH 7.14 (0.16). The median [IQR] pre-induction time was 3.2 [2.1, 5.2] hours and 88 (40.6%) were treated with early neuromuscular blockade. The median [IQR] TC score was 3 [2, 4]; 139 (64.1%) received HQ TC. Frequency of HQ TC by center was 68.8% (N=66), 53.5% (N=46), and 77.1% (N=27). Demographics and arrest-related variables were similar between quality groups (Table 1). Adjusting for confounders in the multivariable model, HQ TC was associated with improved survival to hospital discharge and good neurologic outcome OR (95% CI) 4.22 (1.64-11.97) and 2.90 (1.05-8.69), respectively. The direction and magnitude of effect were consistent across centers. Conclusion: In unresponsive OHCA survivors, HQ TC was associated with improved survival and good neurologic outcome at hospital discharge. Lack of standardization in TC parameters may influence efficacy, and practice variability likely contributes to the translational gap seen with hypothermia.

  PublisherDOI

• 398 Delta High Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin Measures to Exclude Myocardial Infarction

  Annals of Emergency Medicine · 2025-08-22

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Presenteeism Among Health Care Personnel With COVID-19

  JAMA Network Open · 2025-12-03

  articleOpen access

  Importance: Presenteeism-defined as continuing to work during an illness-poses a public health risk in the workplace and is especially hazardous within health care institutions where vulnerable patients may be exposed to nosocomial infections. Understanding the frequency and characteristics of health care personnel (HCP) who report presenteeism while ill with COVID-19 may help mitigate SARS-CoV-2 spread in hospitals and other health care institutions. Objectives: To determine the frequency of presenteeism among HCP with symptomatic COVID-19, and to evaluate the demographic, occupational, and clinical factors associated with it. Design, Setting, and Participants: This is an observational cohort study that uses data from the Preventing Emerging Infections Through Vaccine Effectiveness Testing (PREVENT) project: a test-negative, case-control vaccine effectiveness study that enrolled HCP who had COVID-19 symptoms at 24 academic medical centers from December 2020 through April 2024. Exposure: Exposures include demographic, occupational, and clinical characteristics of participants. Main Outcomes and Measures: Having confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 infection and reporting presenteeism; overall frequency of presenteeism through the study period and the association of the exposure characteristics with presenteeism, adjusting for confounders using 3 multivariable models. Presenteeism was defined as HCP who did not stop working during their illness, but the study did not differentiate whether they continued working remotely. Results: A total of 3721 HCP were included in the analysis (2842 [76.4%] aged 18-49 years; 2993 [80.4%] female; 278 [7.5%] Asian, 406 [10.9%] Black, and 2912 [78.3%] White). Overall, 293 (7.9%) reported presenteeism during the study period, and the frequency of presenteeism increased each year of the study period (from 1 of 73 [1.4%] in 2020 to 16 of 105 [15.2%] in 2024). Presenteeism was associated with HCP who have minimal patient contact (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.73; 95% CI, 2.39-4.37), a graduate or professional degree (aOR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.45-2.50), and income over $100 000 (aOR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.12-2.69). Conclusion and Relevance: In this observational cohort study of 3721 HCP, there was an increasing frequency of presenteeism from 2020 through 2024, and job role and socioeconomic factors were associated. More studies are needed to understand the rationale behind the decision to continue working and the exact causes of presenteeism's rising incidence among HCP with COVID-19.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Factors associated with healthcare personnel uptake of updated COVID-19 vaccine doses in the United States

  Preventive Medicine Reports · 2025-09-09 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Evaluate factors associated with United States (US) healthcare personnel (HCP) uptake of an updated COVID-19 vaccine. We analyzed data from 887 US HCP enrolled between September 25, 2023, and April 17, 2024, in a multisite case-control COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness study. Sociodemographic and attitudinal data were collected via standardized surveys, and vaccination status was verified using source documentation. Overall, 188 (21.2 %) HCP received the updated vaccine. HCP aged 50–64 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.02, 95 % CI: 1.11–3.67) versus ages 18–29, and HCP with undergraduate (aOR 3.75, 95 % CI: 1.97–7.12) or graduate degrees (aOR 7.73, 95 % CI: 4.10–14.55) versus high school/some college had higher odds of vaccination. Nurses and nurse assistants had lower odds (aOR 0.48, 95 % CI: 0.30–0.76) versus other job roles. Vaccinated HCP were more likely than unvaccinated HCP to cite concerns about personal infection (89.9 % vs. 44.6 %), infecting family/friends (96.3 % vs. 56.0 %), vaccine availability (63.3 % vs. 18.9 %), and peer-reviewed literature (56.4 % vs. 28.3 %) as important influences. These factors remained consistent with findings from a prior vaccine season. Vaccine access, education, and peer-reviewed information remain drivers of HCP vaccine uptake. Strategies should address occupational disparities and emphasize transmission risks. • Older healthcare personnel had higher odds of booster receipt. • Healthcare personnel with graduate degrees had higher odds of booster receipt. • Infection risk, family safety, vaccine access, and literature influenced decisions. • Factors remained consistent with findings from a prior vaccine season. • Availability and peer-reviewed info are key to healthcare personnel vaccine uptake.

  PublisherDOI

• Factors Associated with U.S. Healthcare Personnel Uptake of Updated Covid-19 Vaccine Doses

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2025-01-01

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Responsiveness validity for measures of adjustment to life with a left ventricular assist device: Findings from the MCS A-QOL study

  JHLT Open · 2025-04-22

  articleOpen access

  This report evaluated responsiveness validity (sensitivity to change) for five ventricular assist device (VAD)-specific patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Patients at 12 U.S. sites completed PRO measures at months 3 and 6 post-VAD including: Being Bothered by VAD, Self-care and Limitations, Self-efficacy Regarding VAD Self-care, Treatment Satisfaction, VAD Team Communication, Stigma, Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ-12), EQ-5D-3L, and Intermacs Post-Implant Quality of Life Form. Statistical methods included linear mixed effect models, analysis of variance methods and Pearson correlation coefficients (r). To evaluate sensitivity to change, VAD change scores were mapped to change in indicator variables (better, no change, worse). The VAD-specific PRO measures demonstrated preliminary evidence of responsiveness to change from month 3 to month 6. Use of these measures may assist VAD clinicians to inform patients about VADs as a treatment option and identify areas of concern that may guide interventions to support adjustment to having a VAD and enhance life quality. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03044535.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant K08HL091184

  NIH · $621k · 2013

Frequent coauthors

• Terry L. Vanden Hoek

  173 shared

• Huashan Wang

  Loyola University Chicago

  90 shared

• Evgeny Berdyshev

  67 shared

• Susan A. Stern

  University of Washington

  66 shared

• Alan R. Leff

  65 shared

• Anshuman Das

  Asian Institute of Gastroenterology

  65 shared

• Cameron Dezfulian

  64 shared

• Jeeva Munasinghe

  64 shared