Quality Improvement Project to Promote Identification and Treatment of Children With Obesity Admitted to Hospital

Area of Science:

• Pediatric hospital medicine
• Quality improvement science
• Public health and nutrition

Background:

• Comorbid obesity in hospitalized children is frequently overlooked.
• Effective identification and management strategies are needed for pediatric inpatient settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the identification and initial management of obesity in hospitalized children.
• To implement a quality improvement project addressing obesity care gaps.

Main Methods:

• Collaboration between pediatric hospitalists, nurses, and dietitians across two children's hospitals.
• Implementation of clinician education, electronic health record (EHR) decision support, and workflow changes.
• Monthly performance feedback provided to participants.

Main Results:

• Body mass index (BMI) documentation and obesity diagnosis rates increased significantly, reaching 70.2% for elevated BMIs.
• A documented obesity diagnosis was strongly associated with receiving inpatient interventions (odds ratio = 35).
• Healthcare providers reported increased skill (27%), comfort (27%), and knowledge (33%) in managing childhood obesity.

Conclusions:

• Quality improvement initiatives can effectively enhance the recognition and management of obesity in hospitalized children.
• Integrating obesity care into inpatient workflows is feasible and impactful.
• Further research is required to sustain these practice improvements long-term.