Development of an Implementation Strategy Plan to Improve Care for Pediatric Emergency Department Patients With a...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Adolescent Medicine
• Infectious Disease Control

Background:

• Evidence-based guidelines for sexually transmitted infection (STI) care exist but are inconsistently applied in US pediatric and general emergency departments (EDs).
• Adolescents and young adults require improved evaluation and treatment strategies for possible STIs in emergency care settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create and implement a tailored strategy to enhance STI care delivery for adolescent and young adult patients in a pediatric emergency department (PED).
• To address identified barriers and facilitators influencing STI care within the emergency department setting.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Tailored Implementation in Chronic Diseases (TICD) determinants framework to identify and prioritize implementation factors.
• Conducted stakeholder interviews to refine the implementation strategy plan, ensuring it addressed practical challenges and opportunities.
• Developed a multi-component intervention including standardized protocols, electronic health record (EHR) enhancements, staff training, and patient education materials.

Main Results:

• A comprehensive implementation strategy was developed, incorporating a standardized STI care protocol.
• Key components included EHR enhancements (smart phrases, order sets), staff training, adolescent-friendly discharge instructions, and an EHR-based referral system.
• Visual aids for sample collection and an evaluation plan to assess protocol effectiveness were also included.

Conclusions:

• A stakeholder-driven, framework-informed approach can effectively enhance STI care delivery in EDs.
• This model provides a replicable strategy for improving emergency department-based STI services for young patients.