Sustainable deimplementation of continuous pulse oximetry monitoring in children hospitalized with bronchiolitis: study protocol for the Eliminating Monitor Overuse (EMO) type III effectiveness-deimplementation cluster-randomized trial.

2022

72

10/2022

1748-5908

BACKGROUND: Methods of sustaining the deimplementation of overused medical practices (i.e., practices not supported by evidence) are understudied. In pediatric hospital medicine, continuous pulse oximetry monitoring of children with the common viral respiratory illness bronchiolitis is recommended only under specific circumstances. Three national guidelines discourage its use for children who are not receiving supplemental oxygen, but guideline-discordant practice (i.e., overuse) remains prevalent. A 6-hospital pilot of educational outreach with audit and feedback resulted in immediate reductions in overuse; however, the best strategies to optimize sustainment of deimplementation success are unknown.

METHODS: The Eliminating Monitor Overuse (EMO) trial will compare two deimplementation strategies in a hybrid type III effectiveness-deimplementation trial. This longitudinal cluster-randomized design will be conducted in Pediatric Research in Inpatient Settings (PRIS) Network hospitals and will include baseline measurement, active deimplementation, and sustainment phases. After a baseline measurement period, 16-19 hospitals will be randomized to a deimplementation strategy that targets unlearning (educational outreach with audit and feedback), and the other 16-19 will be randomized to a strategy that targets unlearning and substitution (adding an EHR-integrated clinical pathway decision support tool). The primary outcome is the sustainment of deimplementation in bronchiolitis patients who are not receiving any supplemental oxygen, analyzed as a longitudinal difference-in-differences comparison of overuse rates across study arms. Secondary outcomes include equity of deimplementation and the fidelity to, and cost of, each deimplementation strategy. To understand how the deimplementation strategies work, we will test hypothesized mechanisms of routinization (clinicians developing new routines supporting practice change) and institutionalization (embedding of practice change into existing organizational systems).

DISCUSSION: The EMO trial will advance the science of deimplementation by providing new insights into the processes, mechanisms, costs, and likelihood of sustained practice change using rigorously designed deimplementation strategies. The trial will also advance care for a high-incidence, costly pediatric lung disease.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05132322 . Registered on November 10, 2021.

10.1186/s13012-022-01246-z

Implement Sci

36271399

EHR-Integrated Monitor Data to Measure Pulse Oximetry Use in Bronchiolitis.

2021

2021 Sep 28

2154-1671

<p><strong>BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: </strong>Continuous pulse oximetry (oxygen saturation [Spo]) monitoring in hospitalized children with bronchiolitis not requiring supplemental oxygen is discouraged by national guidelines, but determining monitoring status accurately requires in-person observation. Our objective was to determine if electronic health record (EHR) data can accurately estimate the extent of actual Spo monitoring use in bronchiolitis.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>This repeated cross-sectional study included infants aged 8 weeks through 23 months hospitalized with bronchiolitis. In the validation phase at 3 children's hospitals, we calculated the test characteristics of the Spo monitor data streamed into the EHR each minute when monitoring was active compared with in-person observation of Spo monitoring use. In the application phase at 1 children's hospital, we identified periods when supplemental oxygen was administered using EHR flowsheet documentation and calculated the duration of Spo monitoring that occurred in the absence of supplemental oxygen.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Among 668 infants at 3 hospitals (validation phase), EHR-integrated Spo data from the same minute as in-person observation had a sensitivity of 90%, specificity of 98%, positive predictive value of 88%, and negative predictive value of 98% for actual Spo monitoring use. Using EHR-integrated data in a sample of 317 infants at 1 hospital (application phase), infants were monitored in the absence of oxygen supplementation for a median 4.1 hours (interquartile range 1.4-9.4 hours). Those who received supplemental oxygen experienced a median 5.6 hours (interquartile range 3.0-10.6 hours) of monitoring after oxygen was stopped.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>EHR-integrated monitor data are a valid measure of actual Spo monitoring use that may help hospitals more efficiently identify opportunities to deimplement guideline-inconsistent use.</p>

10.1542/hpeds.2021-005894

Hosp Pediatr

34583959

Evaluation of an Educational Outreach and Audit and Feedback Program to Reduce Continuous Pulse Oximetry Use in Hospitalized Infants With Stable Bronchiolitis: A Nonrandomized Clinical Trial.

2021

e2122826

2021 Sep 01

2574-3805

<p><strong>Importance: </strong>National guidelines recommend against continuous pulse oximetry use for hospitalized children with bronchiolitis who are not receiving supplemental oxygen, yet guideline-discordant use remains high.</p>

<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To evaluate deimplementation outcomes of educational outreach and audit and feedback strategies aiming to reduce guideline-discordant continuous pulse oximetry use in children hospitalized with bronchiolitis who are not receiving supplemental oxygen.</p>

<p><strong>Design, Setting, and Participants: </strong>A nonrandomized clinical single-group deimplementation trial was conducted in 14 non-intensive care units in 5 freestanding children's hospitals and 1 community hospital from December 1, 2019, through March 14, 2020, among 847 nurses and physicians caring for hospitalized children with bronchiolitis who were not receiving supplemental oxygen.</p>

<p><strong>Interventions: </strong>Educational outreach focused on communicating details of the existing guidelines and evidence. Audit and feedback strategies included 2 formats: (1) weekly aggregate data feedback to multidisciplinary teams with review of unit-level and hospital-level use of continuous pulse oximetry, and (2) real-time 1:1 feedback to clinicians when guideline-discordant continuous pulse oximetry use was discovered during in-person data audits.</p>

<p><strong>Main Outcomes and Measures: </strong>Clinician ratings of acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility, and perceived safety were assessed using a questionnaire. Guideline-discordant continuous pulse oximetry use in hospitalized children was measured using direct observation of a convenience sample of patients with bronchiolitis who were not receiving supplemental oxygen.</p>

<p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 847 of 1193 eligible clinicians (695 women [82.1%]) responded to a Likert scale-based questionnaire (71% response rate). Most respondents rated the deimplementation strategies of education and audit and feedback as acceptable (education, 435 of 474 [92%]; audit and feedback, 615 of 664 [93%]), appropriate (education, 457 of 474 [96%]; audit and feedback, 622 of 664 [94%]), feasible (education, 424 of 474 [89%]; audit and feedback, 557 of 664 [84%]), and safe (803 of 847 [95%]). Sites collected 1051 audit observations (range, 47-403 per site) on 709 unique patient admissions (range, 31-251 per site) during a 3.5-month period of continuous pulse oximetry use in children with bronchiolitis not receiving supplemental oxygen, which were compared with 579 observations (range, 57-154 per site) from the same hospitals during the baseline 4-month period (prior season) to determine whether the strategies were associated with a reduction in use. Sites conducted 148 in-person educational outreach and aggregate data feedback sessions and provided real-time 1:1 feedback 171 of 236 times (72% of the time when guideline-discordant monitoring was identified). Adjusted for age, gestational age, time since weaning from supplemental oxygen, and other characteristics, guideline-discordant continuous pulse oximetry use decreased from 53% (95% CI, 49%-57%) to 23% (95% CI, 20%-25%) (P &lt; .001) during the intervention period. There were no adverse events attributable to reduced monitoring.</p>

<p><strong>Conclusions and Relevance: </strong>In this nonrandomized clinical trial, educational outreach and audit and feedback deimplementation strategies for guideline-discordant continuous pulse oximetry use among hospitalized children with bronchiolitis who were not receiving supplemental oxygen were positively associated with clinician perceptions of feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness, and safety. Evaluating the sustainability of deimplementation beyond the intervention period is an essential next step.</p>

<p><strong>Trial Registration: </strong>ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04178941.</p>

10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.22826

JAMA Netw Open

34473258

Barriers and Facilitators to Guideline-Adherent Pulse Oximetry Use in Bronchiolitis.

2021

23-30

2021 Jan

1553-5606

<p><strong>OBJECTIVE: </strong>Continuous pulse oximetry monitoring (cSpO) in children with bronchiolitis does not improve clinical outcomes and has been associated with increased resource use and alarm fatigue. It is critical to understand the factors that contribute to cSpO overuse in order to reduce overuse and its associated harms.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>This multicenter qualitative study took place in the context of the Eliminating Monitor Overuse (EMO) SpO study, a cross-sectional study to establish rates of cSpO in bronchiolitis. We conducted semistructured interviews, informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, with a purposive sample of stakeholders at sites with high and low cSpO use rates to identify barriers and facilitators to addressing cSpO overuse. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. Analyses were conducted using an integrated approach.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Participants (n = 56) included EMO study site principal investigators (n = 12), hospital administrators (n = 8), physicians (n = 15), nurses (n = 12), and respiratory therapists (n = 9) from 12 hospitals. Results suggest that leadership buy-in, clear authoritative guidelines for SpO use incorporated into electronic order sets, regular education about cSpO in bronchiolitis, and visual reminders may be needed to reduce cSpO utilization. Parental perceptions and individual clinician comfort affect cSpO practice.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSION: </strong>We identified barriers and facilitators to deimplementation of cSpO for stable patients with bronchiolitis across children's hospitals with high- and low-cSpO use. Based on these data, future deimplementation efforts should focus on clear protocols for cSpO, EHR changes, and education for hospital staff on bronchiolitis features and rationale for reducing cSpO.</p>

10.12788/jhm.3535

J Hosp Med

33357326

Prevalence of Continuous Pulse Oximetry Monitoring in Hospitalized Children With Bronchiolitis Not Requiring Supplemental Oxygen.

2020

1467-1477

2020 Apr 21

1538-3598

<p><strong>Importance: </strong>US national guidelines discourage the use of continuous pulse oximetry monitoring in hospitalized children with bronchiolitis who do not require supplemental oxygen.</p>

<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Measure continuous pulse oximetry use in children with bronchiolitis.</p>

<p><strong>Design, Setting, and Participants: </strong>A multicenter cross-sectional study was performed in pediatric wards in 56 US and Canadian hospitals in the Pediatric Research in Inpatient Settings Network from December 1, 2018, through March 31, 2019. Participants included a convenience sample of patients aged 8 weeks through 23 months with bronchiolitis who were not receiving active supplemental oxygen administration. Patients with extreme prematurity, cyanotic congenital heart disease, pulmonary hypertension, home respiratory support, neuromuscular disease, immunodeficiency, or cancer were excluded.</p>

<p><strong>Exposures: </strong>Hospitalization with bronchiolitis without active supplemental oxygen administration.</p>

<p><strong>Main Outcomes and Measures: </strong>The primary outcome, receipt of continuous pulse oximetry, was measured using direct observation. Continuous pulse oximetry use percentages were risk standardized using the following variables: nighttime (11 pm to 7 am), age combined with preterm birth, time after weaning from supplemental oxygen or flow, apnea or cyanosis during the present illness, neurologic impairment, and presence of an enteral feeding tube.</p>

<p><strong>Results: </strong>The sample included 3612 patient observations in 33 freestanding children's hospitals, 14 children's hospitals within hospitals, and 9 community hospitals. In the sample, 59% were male, 56% were white, and 15% were black; 48% were aged 8 weeks through 5 months, 28% were aged 6 through 11 months, 16% were aged 12 through 17 months, and 9% were aged 18 through 23 months. The overall continuous pulse oximetry monitoring use percentage in these patients, none of whom were receiving any supplemental oxygen or nasal cannula flow, was 46% (95% CI, 40%-53%). Hospital-level unadjusted continuous pulse oximetry use ranged from 2% to 92%. After risk standardization, use ranged from 6% to 82%. Intraclass correlation coefficient suggested that 27% (95% CI, 19%-36%) of observed variation was attributable to unmeasured hospital-level factors.</p>

<p><strong>Conclusions and Relevance: </strong>In a convenience sample of children hospitalized with bronchiolitis who were not receiving active supplemental oxygen administration, monitoring with continuous pulse oximetry was frequent and varied widely among hospitals. Because of the apparent absence of a guideline- or evidence-based indication for continuous monitoring in this population, this practice may represent overuse.</p>

10.1001/jama.2020.2998

JAMA

32315058

Pediatric Respiratory Illness Measurement System (PRIMES) Scores and Outcomes.

2019

2019 Jul 26

1098-4275

<p><strong>BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: </strong>The Pediatric Respiratory Illness Measurement System (PRIMES) generates condition-specific composite quality scores for asthma, bronchiolitis, croup, and pneumonia in hospital-based settings. We sought to determine if higher PRIMES composite scores are associated with improved health-related quality of life, decreased length of stay (LOS), and decreased reuse.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>We conducted a prospective cohort study of 2334 children in 5 children's hospitals between July 2014 and June 2016. Surveys administered on admission and 2 to 6 weeks postdischarge assessed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL). Using medical records data, 3 PRIMES scores were calculated (0-100 scale; higher scores = improved adherence) for each condition: an overall composite (including all quality indicators for the condition), an overuse composite (including only indicators for care that should not be provided [eg, chest radiographs for bronchiolitis]), and an underuse composite (including only indicators for care that should be provided [eg, dexamethasone for croup]). Multivariable models assessed relationships between PRIMES composite scores and (1) PedsQL improvement, (2) LOS, and (3) 30-day reuse.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>For every 10-point increase in PRIMES overuse composite scores, LOS decreased by 8.8 hours (95% confidence interval [CI] -11.6 to -6.1) for bronchiolitis, 3.1 hours (95% CI -5.5 to -1.0) for asthma, and 2.0 hours (95% CI -3.9 to -0.1) for croup. Bronchiolitis overall composite scores were also associated with shorter LOS. PRIMES composites were not associated with PedsQL improvement or reuse.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Better performance on some PRIMES condition-specific composite measures is associated with decreased LOS, with scores on overuse quality indicators being a primary driver of this relationship.</p>

10.1542/peds.2019-0242

Pediatrics

31350359

Measuring overuse of continuous pulse oximetry in bronchiolitis and developing strategies for large-scale deimplementation: study protocol for a feasibility trial.

2019

68

2019

2055-5784

<p><strong>Background: </strong>Deimplementation, the systematic elimination of low-value practices, has emerged as an important focus within implementation science. Bronchiolitis is the leading cause of infant hospitalization. Among stable inpatients with bronchiolitis who do not require supplemental oxygen, continuous pulse oximetry monitoring is recognized as an overused, low-value practice in pediatric hospital medicine. There is strong scientific evidence and practice guideline support for limiting pulse oximetry monitoring of stable children with bronchiolitis who do not require supplemental oxygen, yet the practice remains common. This study aims to (1) characterize the extent of this overuse in hospitals located in the USA and Canada, (2) identify barriers and facilitators of successful deimplementation of continuous pulse oximetry monitoring in bronchiolitis, and (3) develop consensus strategies for large-scale deimplementation. In addition to identifying feasible strategies for deimplementation, this study will test the feasibility of data collection approaches to be employed in a large-scale deimplementation trial.</p>

<p><strong>Methods: </strong>This multicenter study will be performed in approximately 38 hospitals in the Pediatric Research in Inpatient Settings Network. In Aim 1, we will determine the rate of overuse within each hospital by performing repeated cross-sectional observational sampling of continuous pulse oximetry monitoring of stable bronchiolitis patients age 8 weeks through 23 months who do not require supplemental oxygen. In Aim 2, we will use the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) as a framework for semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders (physician, nurse, respiratory therapist, administrator, and parent) at the highest- and lowest-overuse hospitals to understand barriers and facilitators of continuous pulse oximetry monitoring deimplementation. In Aim 3, we will use a theory-based causal model to match the identified barriers and facilitators to potential strategies for deimplementation. Candidate strategies will be discussed with a panel of stakeholders from hospitals with high rates of overuse to assess feasibility and acceptability. A questionnaire ranking strategies based on feasibility, acceptability, and impact will be administered to a broader group of stakeholders to arrive at consensus about promising strategies for large-scale deimplementation to be tested in a subsequent trial.</p>

<p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Effective strategies for deimplementing continuous pulse oximetry monitoring of stable patients with bronchiolitis have not been well characterized. The findings of this study will provide further understanding of factors that facilitate deimplementation in pediatric hospital settings and provide pilot and feasibility data to inform a trial of large-scale deimplementation of this overused practice.</p>

<p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>Not applicable. This study does not meet the World Health Organization definition of a clinical trial.</p>

10.1186/s40814-019-0453-2

Pilot Feasibility Stud

31123593

Association of Weekend Admission and Weekend Discharge with Length of Stay and 30-Day Readmission in Children's Hospitals.

2018

2018 10 31

1553-5606

<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>Worse outcomes among adults presenting for/receiving care on weekends (ie, "the weekend effect") have been observed for many diseases. However, little is known about the overall impact of the weekend effect in hospitalized children.</p>

<p><strong>OBJECTIVE: T</strong>o determine the association between weekend admission and length of stay (LOS) and between weekend discharge and 30-day all-cause readmission.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional study of children hospitalized between October 1, 2014 and September 30, 2015 using the Pediatric Health Information System. Birth hospitalizations and planned procedures were excluded. We used generalized linear mixed modeling to assess the independent association between weekend admission and LOS and weekend discharge and readmission risk.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Among 390,745 hospitalizations across 43 hospitals, the median LOS was 41 hours (interquartile range [IQR] 24-71) and the 30-day readmission rate was 8.2% (IQR 7.2-9.4). We observed no association between weekend admission and LOS (adjusted LOS [95% CI: weekend 63.70 [61.01-66.52] hours vs weekday 63.40 [60.73-66.19] hours, P = .112). Weekend discharge was associated with slightly increased odds of readmission compared with weekday discharge (adjusted probability of readmission [95% CI]: weekend 0.13 [0.12-0.13] versus weekday 0.11 [0.11-0.12], P &lt; .001) but was variable among individual hospitals. Patient characteristics (ie, number of chronic conditions) were more strongly associated with LOS and readmission risk than weekend admission or discharge.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Patient-level factors (ie, clinical and demographic characteristics) are more indicative of longer LOS and readmission risk than weekend admissions or discharges. The overall impact of the weekend effect across children's hospitals was minimal.</p>

10.12788/jhm.3085

J Hosp Med

30379138

Intravenous Versus Oral Antibiotics for the Prevention of Treatment Failure in Children With Complicated Appendicitis: Has the Abandonment of Peripherally Inserted Catheters Been Justified?

2017

361-8

2017 Aug

1528-1140

<p><strong>OBJECTIVE: </strong>To compare treatment failure leading to hospital readmission in children with complicated appendicitis who received oral versus intravenous antibiotics after discharge.</p>

<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>Antibiotics are often employed after discharge to prevent treatment failure in children with complicated appendicitis, although existing studies comparing intravenous and oral antibiotics for this purpose are limited.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>We identified all patients aged 3 to 18 years undergoing appendectomy for complicated appendicitis, who received postdischarge antibiotics at 35 childrens hospitals from 2009 to 2012. Discharge codes were used to identify study subjects from the Pediatric Health Information System database, and chart review confirmed eligibility, treatment assignment, and outcomes. Exposure status was based on outpatient antibiotic therapy, and analysis used optimal and full matching methods to adjust for demographic and clinical characteristics. Treatment failure (defined as an organ-space infection) requiring inpatient readmission was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included revisits from any cause to either the inpatient or emergency department setting.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>In all, 4579 patients were included (median: 99/hospital), and utilization of intravenous antibiotics after discharge ranged from 0% to 91.7% across hospitals. In the matched analysis, the rate of treatment failure was significantly higher for the intravenous group than the oral group [odds ratio (OR) 1.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-2.88; risk difference: 4.0%, 95% CI 0.4-7.6%], as was the rate of all-cause revisits (OR 2.11, 95% CI 1.44-3.11; risk difference: 9.4%, 95% CI 4.7-14.2%). The rate of peripherally inserted central catheter line complications was 3.2% in the intravenous group, and drug reactions were rare in both groups (intravenous: 0.7%, oral: 0.5%).</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Compared with oral antibiotics, use of intravenous antibiotics after discharge in children with complicated appendicitis was associated with higher rates of both treatment failure and all-cause hospital revisits.</p>

10.1097/SLA.0000000000001923

Ann. Surg.

27429024

Prioritization of comparative effectiveness research topics in hospital pediatrics.

2012

1155-64

2012 Dec

1538-3628

<p><strong>OBJECTIVE: </strong>To use information about prevalence, cost, and variation in resource utilization to prioritize comparative effectiveness research topics in hospital pediatrics.</p>

<p><strong>DESIGN: </strong>Retrospective analysis of administrative and billing data for hospital encounters.</p>

<p><strong>SETTING: </strong>Thirty-eight freestanding US children's hospitals from January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2009.</p>

<p><strong>PARTICIPANTS: </strong>Children hospitalized with conditions that accounted for either 80% of all encounters or 80% of all charges.</p>

<p><strong>MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: </strong>Condition-specific prevalence, total standardized cost, and interhospital variation in mean standardized cost per encounter, measured in 2 ways: (1) intraclass correlation coefficient, which represents the fraction of total variation in standardized costs per encounter due to variation between hospitals; and (2) number of outlier hospitals, defined as having more than 30% of encounters with standardized costs in either the lowest or highest quintile across all encounters.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Among 495 conditions accounting for 80% of all charges, the 10 most expensive conditions accounted for 36% of all standardized costs. Among the 50 most prevalent and 50 most costly conditions (77 in total), 26 had intraclass correlation coefficients higher than 0.10 and 5 had intraclass correlation coefficients higher than 0.30. For 10 conditions, more than half of the hospitals met outlier hospital criteria. Surgical procedures for hypertrophy of tonsils and adenoids, otitis media, and acute appendicitis without peritonitis were high cost, were high prevalence, and displayed significant variation in interhospital cost per encounter.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Detailed administrative and billing data can be used to standardize hospital costs and identify high-priority conditions for comparative effectiveness research--those that are high cost, are high prevalence, and demonstrate high variation in resource utilization.</p>

10.1001/archpediatrics.2012.1266

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med

23027409