Reduction in inpatient readmissions following implementation of a dedicated tracheostomy care team

Pediatric tracheostomy patients are at risk for lengthy hospitalizations and multiple readmissions with rare but potentially disastrous tracheostomy-related complications. Several centers have formed multidisciplinary teams for pediatric tracheostomy patients to coordinate care and enhance caregiver education to aid in safe care delivery. Current literature has shown encouraging change in pediatric tracheostomy care with these interventions, but there remains an opportunity to better gauge alterations of morbidity. We aimed to review our institution's experience before and after development of a pediatric tracheostomy care team.

Pediatric tracheostomy patients (<19 years) who underwent tracheostomy between January 2010 and June 2020 were included. A pediatric tracheostomy care team including a nurse practitioner and registered nurse was established in July 2017. Rates of readmission, outpatient visits, decannulation rates, and mortality are examined before and after implementation of the care team. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were utilized.

296 patients were included with 128 patients in the pre-intervention group, 82 in the post-intervention group, and 86 completing cross-over care. The groups were comparable in age at tracheostomy, tracheostomy indication, and underlying comorbidities. Mean outpatient visits per tracheostomy-year in the post-intervention group were higher than the pre-intervention group (2.3 vs. 2.2, p = .02). Fewer mean inpatient admissions per tracheostomy-year (0.02 vs. 0.11, p = .03) were observed after intervention. Time to decannulation did not differ significantly between the two groups (p = .57).

Implementation of a dedicated tracheostomy care team may help decrease inpatient admissions for tracheostomy-specific complications.