A risk-adjusted, composite outcomes score and resource utilization metrics for very low-birth-weight infants

It is difficult for neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) to determine the overall efficacy of multiple continuous quality improvement (CQI) projects aimed at reducing very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infant morbidities. It is challenging to know whether a NICU is becoming more proficient, and it is not usually apparent whether concurrent resource use is changing.

To develop a risk-adjusted composite score of the major morbidities in VLBW infants and a companion metric that accounts for resource use to enhance the ability to measure overall progress in CQI and to identify proficient NICUs.

This retrospective investigation used individual patient-level demographic and outcomes data from 8 NICUs who were long term CQI collaborators within the Vermont Oxford Network, a large international quality improvement organization dedicated to improving the care of premature infants. Study participants were infants who weighed 401 to 1500 g born from January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2011, at each of the 8 participating NICUs.

Risk-adjusted, composite VLBW infant morbidity and resource utilization score.

A total of 15,961 infants (mean [SD] gestational age, 28.2 [3.0] weeks; mean [SD] birth weight, 1020 [306] g) were analyzed. Concurrent with multiple shared CQI projects over 12 years, the group benefit metric improved 38% from 80 in 2000 to 110 in 2011 (P < .001). The entire member VON benefit metric improved 28% from 72 in 2000 to 92 in 2011 (P < .001). The group value metric improved 25% from 1.2 in 2000 to 1.5 in 2011 (P < .001). The entire member VON value metric improved 18% from 1.1 in 2000 to 1.3 in 2011 (P < .001). Significant inter-NICU variation in both composite scores was noted in the 8 member CQI group. Hospital length of stay increased in the 8 NICUs 64 to 71 days (P <.001), and a similar increase was noted in the entire member VON, 65 to 68 days (P < .001).

We have created the first, to our knowledge, web-based tool for NICUs to calculate their own composite morbidity and resource utilization scores that estimate NICU CQI proficiency. In our structured group CQI over 12 years, both metrics revealed significant improvement, but increases in length of stay (resource use) blunted value improvement. Why some NICUs improve their scores more successfully than others remains a crucial challenge. Future CQI efforts should explore strategies that cost-efficiently reduce intertwined VLBW infant morbidities, emphasizing whole cultures of proficient care rather than the traditional emphasis on single-morbidity reduction.