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A systematic review of quality indicators for evaluating pediatric trauma care
Henry T Stelfox1, Barbara Bobranska-Artiuch, Avery Nathens
1Department of Critical Care Medicine, Medicine and Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada. Tom.Stelfox@albertahealthservices.ca
Insights
Quality indicators for pediatric trauma care are limited, with existing measures focusing on prehospital and hospital processes. Deficiencies in care quality were identified, highlighting the need for patient-centered, pediatric-specific indicators across the full spectrum of care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Trauma Care
- Quality Improvement
- Healthcare Research
Background:
- Pediatric trauma care is critical for saving young lives and limbs.
- The availability and scope of quality indicators for evaluating pediatric trauma care remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the existing literature on quality indicators for assessing pediatric trauma care.
- To identify gaps in the current quality measurement landscape for pediatric trauma.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature search across multiple databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library) and gray literature.
- Inclusion criteria focused on studies evaluating quality of care for major traumatic injuries in patients 18 years or younger.
- Systematic review and synthesis of identified quality indicators.
Main Results:
- 12 articles were selected from 6869 citations, identifying 120 quality indicators, primarily for prehospital and hospital processes and outcomes.
- No quality indicators were identified for prehospital structure, posthospital care, or secondary injury prevention.
- Deficiencies in care quality ranged from 8% to 45% for multiple trauma patients, with 6% to 32% of in-hospital deaths deemed preventable.
Conclusions:
- The current body of research on quality indicators in pediatric trauma care is limited.
- Evidence suggests existing quality of care has deficiencies.
- Development and evaluation of patient-centered, pediatric-specific indicators are needed to cover the entire continuum of trauma care.
Objective:
Trauma care provides injured children with life- and limb-saving treatment, but it is unclear if the proper tools have been developed to measure the quality of care delivered. We sought to systematically review the literature on quality indicators for evaluating pediatric trauma care.
Data Sources And Study Selection:
We searched MEDLINE (1950- January 14, 2009), EMBASE (1980-week 2, 2009), CINAHL (1982- week 2, 2009) and The Cochrane Library (4th Quarter 2008) from the earliest available date to January 14, 2009, plus the Gray Literature, select journals by hand, reference lists, and articles recommended by experts in the field. Studies were selected that used one or more quality indicators to evaluate the quality of care delivered to patients 18 yrs of age or younger with a major traumatic injury.
Data Extraction And Data Synthesis:
The literature search identified 6869 citations. Review of abstracts led to the retrieval of 538 full-text articles for assessment; 12 articles were selected for review. Of these, five (42%) articles were case series and five (42%) articles were cohort studies. Two articles included control groups, a before-and-after case series, and a nonrandomized controlled trial. A total of 120 quality indicators in pediatric trauma care were identified, predominantly measures of prehospital and hospital processes and outcomes of care. We did not identify any prehospital structure or posthospital or secondary injury prevention quality indicators. Among multiple trauma patients, deficiencies in the quality of care ranged from 8% to 45% of patients, with 6% to 32% of deaths in hospital judged to be preventable on peer review.
Conclusions:
There is limited experimental research regarding quality indicators in pediatric trauma care, but the literature suggests that deficiencies exist in the quality of care. Future research is needed to develop and evaluate patient-centered pediatric-specific indicators that cover the full spectrum of trauma care.
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