A quality improvement initiative to reduce necrotizing enterocolitis across hospital systems
Male
Databases, Factual
Incidence
Infant, Newborn
Quality Improvement
Risk Assessment
United States
3. Good health
Primary Prevention
Survival Rate
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Enterocolitis, Necrotizing
Intensive Care Units, Neonatal
Intensive Care, Neonatal
Humans
Infant, Very Low Birth Weight
Female
Hospital Mortality
Retrospective Studies
DOI:
10.1038/s41372-018-0104-0
Publication Date:
2018-04-20T10:37:44Z
AUTHORS (6)
ABSTRACT
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating intestinal disease in premature infants. Local rates of NEC were unacceptably high. We hypothesized that utilizing quality improvement methodology to standardize care and apply evidence-based practices would reduce our rate of NEC.A multidisciplinary team used the model for improvement to prioritize interventions. Three neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) developed a standardized feeding protocol for very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, and employed strategies to increase the use of human milk, maximize intestinal perfusion, and promote a healthy microbiome.The primary outcome measure, NEC in VLBW infants, decreased from 0.17 cases/100 VLBW patient days to 0.029, an 83% reduction, while the compliance with a standardized feeding protocol improved.Through reliable implementation of evidence-based practices, this project reduced the regional rate of NEC by 83%. A key outcome and primary driver of success was standardization across multiple NICUs, resulting in consistent application of best practices and reduction in variation.
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