A recent study found that most hospitals do not have high emergency department pediatric readiness and several medical societies recently released a policy statement to help hospitals rise to the challenge.
The recent study found that only 17.4% of emergency departments across the country have high ED pediatric readiness.
The study, which examined 4,840 emergency departments, estimates that the lives of 2,143 children could be saved annually if there was universal high ED pediatric readiness. The annual cost of achieving high pediatric readiness in emergency departments nationwide was estimated at $207 million.
The cost of establishing high ED pediatric readiness across the country is modest, and health systems and hospitals should embrace the changes needed to serve pediatric patients effectively in the emergency department setting, according to Amanda Bogie, MD, chief of the pediatric emergency medicine section at University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and a practicing emergency medicine physician at Oklahoma Children's, which is part of OU Health.
"Pediatric readiness needs to be a priority. Health systems and hospitals can rise to the financial challenge to ensure children have access to high-quality emergency care," Bogie says. "For example, if pediatric patients do not have their asthma managed in the emergency department, they could end up in the ICU. This would increase the cost of care, making it higher than the cost of achieving ED pediatric readiness."
These critical investments are not only fiscally attainable but are also associated with up to 76% lower mortality risk among critically ill and injured children, Bogie says.
Bogie and other healthcare leaders across the country are urging community and rural hospitals to ensure their emergency departments are equipped to meet the unique needs of children.
As the state’s only free-standing pediatric hospital, Oklahoma Children’s plays a pivotal role in leading statewide pediatric preparedness initiatives. The hospital is championing programs such as Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) and the recently established Pediatric Pandemic Network (PPN) Hub Site, which Bogie leads as the principal investigator.
“Our PPN Hub Site and our EMSC state program are crucial to ensuring access to high-quality emergency care for children across Oklahoma," Bogie says. "We are working collaboratively to enhance pediatric readiness and urge hospital leaders to engage with state and regional programs dedicated to these efforts."
Amanda Bogie, MD, is chief of the pediatric emergency medicine section at University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and a practicing emergency medicine physician at Oklahoma Children's. Photo courtesy of OU Health.
Medical Associations Focused on Emergency Department Pediatric Readiness
One such effort is the upcoming National Pediatric Readiness Project (NPRP), an initiative of the Emergency Medical Services for Children Program, which provides emergency departments an opportunity to assess pediatric readiness, benchmark information, and identify areas for improvement. The project launches on March 3, according to the recently released joint policy statement, “Pediatric Readiness in the Emergency Department.”
On Jan. 20, the Emergency Nurses Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Emergency Physicians, and the American College of Surgeons released the joint policy statement. The updated guidelines and participation in the NPRP are intended for all emergency departments, including rural and critical access hospitals. They recommend emergency departments adopt pediatric policies, maintain pediatric equipment and supplies, and ensure staff stay informed of pediatric skills and knowledge.
The policy statement includes several recommendations, including emergency departments having a physician and a nurse serve as pediatric emergency care coordinators (PECCs).
PECCs are essential for emergency department personnel to achieve high ED pediatric readiness, according to Bogie.
"PECCs are dedicated to ensuring children receive the specialized care they need when minutes count," Bogie says. "As a critical role for implementing and maintaining pediatric-focused protocols, PECCs support quality improvement initiatives and ensure availability of resources, including pediatric equipment, medications, and emergency department supplies."
PECCs can also help with the rollout of educational initiatives such as addressing pediatric-specific diseases and pediatric-specific outbreaks, according to Bogie.
Assigning an emergency department physician and nurse to serve as PECCs is one of the more challenging recommendations to achieve high ED pediatric readiness, Bogie explains.
"Establishing PECCs in hospital emergency rooms is a big ask," Bogie says. "But every child deserves access to high-quality emergency care, regardless of where they live. Pediatric readiness saves lives and establishing these positions is a critical step to ensuring emergency departments are ready when they are needed most.”
Resources to Improve Emergency Department Pediatric Readiness
In addition to the recent study and the Jan. 20 policy statement, there are many resources for health systems and hospitals to improve emergency department pediatric readiness.
Christopher Cheney is the CMO editor at HealthLeaders.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
If there was high emergency department (ED) pediatric readiness at hospitals nationwide, the lives of more than 2,000 children could be saved annually, a recent study found.
The study states that the core elements of high ED pediatric readiness are care coordination, personnel, quality improvement, safety, policies and procedures, and equipment.
A recently released policy statement by several medical societies made recommendations to achieve high ED pediatric readiness, including assigning an emergency department physician and nurse to serve as pediatric emergency care coordinators.