Embedding electronic growth charts into clinical practice at a children's hospital

Area of Science:

• Pediatric healthcare informatics
• Clinical implementation science

Background:

• Traditional paper-based growth charts present challenges in data accessibility and continuity.
• Integrating digital health records requires robust systems for pediatric growth monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate electronic growth charts (EGCs) within a children's hospital setting.
• To assess the impact of EGCs on growth data documentation and continuity of care.

Main Methods:

• Phased implementation of EGCs, starting in outpatient clinics and expanding to inpatient services.
• Ensuring EGCs followed patient records across different care settings.

Main Results:

• Successful embedding of EGCs into routine clinical practice.
• Significant increase in the completeness and accessibility of growth data documentation.
• Demonstrated continuity of growth charting across outpatient and inpatient encounters.

Conclusions:

• Electronic growth charts are feasible and beneficial for pediatric healthcare.
• EGC implementation enhances data documentation and supports longitudinal patient monitoring.
• Digital growth charting improves care coordination in children's hospitals.