Improving Care – Introduction

Quality improvement (QI) seeks to ultimately improve care processes and outcomes. QI science can quickly implement change. Gaps in provision of QI education, tools, metrics and implementation strategies have hindered the ability of engaged ED providers to more rapidly improve outcomes of emergency care for children. A quality improvement approach is needed to address the lack of process and outcome metrics as well as mechanisms to guide improvements.

Background

  • Pediatric readiness is about optimizing care based on available resources.
  • Some systems of standardization parallel that of adults, but others need to be specialized for children.
  • NPRQI provides pediatric quality measures for common pediatric conditions.
  • NPRQI provides a platform for these metrics to be implemented and assessed across various pediatric volume EDs.