MEDIC is leading a one-year collaborative pilot program focused on improving pediatric readiness in emergency departments (EDs) across Michigan. Collaborators include Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) partners within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), and our colleagues in the Michigan Trauma Quality Improvement Collaborative (MTQIP), a trauma care-focused Collaborative Quality Initiative (CQI). The long-term goal of this work is to ensure all EDs are equipped with the essential resources and are sufficiently prepared to deliver high-quality emergency care to sick and injured children, ultimately elevating the standard of pediatric care in EDs across Michigan.
Research has shown high pediatric readiness in EDs – scoring >87 points on the National Pediatric Readiness Project Assessment – improves outcomes for children. Michigan EDs interested in participating in this work should reach out to Catie Guarnaccia at szedlaca@med.umich.edu.
It is important to develop a team of members familiar with all the different aspects of Emergency Department (ED) Pediatric Readiness. Your team members can provide process improvement expertise and serve as champions for the work, advocating for pediatric readiness as a critical component of improved outcomes for sick and injured children.
Research shows that Emergency Departments (EDs) with a designated PECC were more ‘ready’ than those EDs who did not have PECCs identified, and the presence of both nurse and physician PECCs is strongly correlated with improved pediatric readiness, independent of other factors1.
As such, the ED Physician PECC, ED Nurse PECC, and Trauma Program Representative roles as part of the Pediatric Readiness Team are STRONGLY recommended and should be clearly defined, ideally with protected administrative time for each role.