WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In emergencies, children have distinct needs. Yet 83% of emergency departments (EDs) nationwide are not fully prepared to meet them. A new study has found that bridging that gap, known as becoming highly “pediatric ready,” could prevent the deaths of 2,143 children each year with an annual cost between $0 and $12 per child resident, depending on the state.
“Our country can afford it, and we owe it to our children to do it,” says the study’s senior author Nathan Kuppermann, M.D., chair of Pediatrics and chief academic officer at Children’s National Hospital.
The research team—led by Oregon Health & Science University and Children’s National—analyzed data from 4,840 EDs, focusing on 669,019 children at risk for death upon seeking care. Using predictive models, they assessed how every ED achieving high pediatric readiness—defined as scoring at least 88 out of 100 on the National Pediatric Readiness Project assessment—could impact mortality rates.
“The National Pediatric Readiness Project outlines essential pediatric capabilities for EDs, such as the availability of essential pediatric equipment and pediatric-specific training,” says Dr. Kuppermann, an emergency medicine physician. “While a perfect score of 100 is ideal, past research shows a score of 88 or higher can reduce mortality risk by up to 76% for ill children and 60% for injured children.”
In Maryland, an additional cost of $1.10 per child could save 17 pediatric lives annually, adjusted for population size. In Virginia, $2.42 per child could save 29 lives annually, and $1.59 per child in the District of Columbia could save 16 lives annually. The research team said strategies for implementing the findings would require regulation, incentives and policy-based initiatives.
“This study builds on a growing body of research demonstrating that every hospital can and must be ready for children’s emergencies,” says lead author Craig Newgard, M.D., M.P.H., an emergency physician at Oregon Health & Science University. “For the first time, we have comprehensive national and state-by-state data that emphasizes both the urgency and feasibility of this work.”
By applying the potential reduction in mortality associated with high readiness to the number of children at risk of death, the researchers identified the number of lives that could be saved each year. State-specific estimates, adjusted for population size, ranged from 0 preventable deaths in Delaware to 69 in South Dakota.
“Achieving high readiness levels can be challenging for small emergency departments with fewer resources, typically in more rural areas. The result is significant inequity and large healthcare deserts in pediatric emergency care across the United States,” Dr. Kuppermann says. “Yet we found the cost of elevating care to the highest quartile of pediatric readiness is not very high.”
The study authors estimate achieving universal high pediatric readiness across the United States would cost approximately $207 million annually. Per-child costs by state to raise ED readiness from current levels ranged from $0 to $12 per year.
“This research emphasizes the urgent need for widespread investment in pediatric readiness,” says Kate Remick, M.D., co-author and emergency physician with the Dell School of Medicine at the University of Texas at Austin. “The National Pediatric Readiness Project has provided a roadmap for improvement. But we need the full engagement of clinicians, healthcare administrators, policymakers and families to make universal pediatric readiness a reality.”
The study outlines several strategies to improve pediatric emergency care, such as integrating high pediatric readiness into hospital accreditation requirements and incentivizing readiness through performance-based reimbursement models.
This study was funded by a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Emergency Medical Services for Children Targeted Issue grant (H34MC33243-01-01) and an HHS National Institutes of Health (NIH) Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) grant (R24 HD085927). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HHS, HRSA, NIH, or the U.S. government.
About Children’s National Hospital
Children’s National Hospital, based in Washington, D.C., was established in 1870 to help every child grow up stronger. Today, it is one of the top 10 children’s hospitals in the nation and ranked in all specialties evaluated by U.S. News & World Report. Children’s National is transforming pediatric medicine for all children. The Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus opened in 2021, a first-of-its-kind pediatric hub dedicated to developing new and better ways to care for kids. Children’s National has been designated three times in a row as a Magnet® hospital, demonstrating the highest standards of nursing and patient care delivery. This pediatric academic health system offers expert care through a convenient, community-based primary care network and specialty care locations in the D.C. metropolitan area, including Maryland and Virginia. Children’s National is home to the Children’s National Research Institute and Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation. It is recognized for its expertise and innovation in pediatric care and as a strong voice for children through advocacy at the local, regional and national levels. As a nonprofit, Children's National relies on generous donors to help ensure that every child receives the care they need.
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About Oregon Health & Science University
Oregon Health & Science University is Oregon's academic health center and is nationally distinguished as a research university dedicated solely to advancing health sciences. This singular purpose allows us to focus on discoveries that prevent and cure disease, on education that prepares physicians, dentists, nurses and other health professionals for the evolving healthcare environment, and on patient care that incorporates the latest advances. Based in Portland, we are one of Oregon’s largest employers, operate the top-ranked adult and children’s hospitals in the state, and secure competitive research funding of more than $596 million. As a public organization, we also provide services for the most vulnerable Oregonians and outreach to improve health in communities across the state.
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