Leadership and Followership Dynamics in Interprofessional Health Care Teams: Attending Physician Perspectives.

PURPOSE: Effective interprofessional health care team (IHT) members collaborate to reduce medical errors, use resources effectively, and improve patient outcomes, making interprofessional collaboration imperative. Because physicians are often designated as the positional leaders of IHTs, understanding their perspectives on collaboration within IHTs could help to mitigate the disconnects between what is suggested in theory and what is happening in practice. This study aimed to explore leader-follower dynamics within medical teams that are commonly working in clinical care contexts. METHOD: Using a constructivist approach, the authors conducted 12 individual, semistructured interviews from November 2022 to September 2023 with attending physicians who have led IHTs in perioperative (i.e., preoperative clinic, operating room, postoperative and recovery unit) or emergency department settings. The transcripts were analyzed from December 2022 to December 2023 using inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three themes explained the physician perceptions of IHT leadership-followership dynamics: (1) physicians are comfortable sharing leadership intraprofessionally, (2) the clinical culture and environment constrain interprofessional followership and shared leadership, and (3) hierarchical models hold true even while active followers are appreciated, when appropriate. CONCLUSIONS: The data in this study suggest that, in perioperative and emergency department settings, shared leadership largely may not occur interprofessionally but occurs intraprofessionally. Participants suggested that the clinical culture and environment (i.e., legal concerns, hierarchical assumption, patient care ownership responsibilities) constrained interprofessional followership and shared leadership. On the basis of the study's findings and how they align with previous research, future research into interprofessional collaboration and followership roles should focus on what factors enable and constrain active followership and shared leadership. Such collaboration can only be achieved when active followership and shared leadership are allowed and promoted. These findings and others suggest that not all contexts are enabling such types of interprofessional collaboration due to legal concerns, hierarchical traditions, and patient ownership considerations.

Experiences of Deployed Physicians in Support of Operation Allies Refuge/Operation Allies Welcome: Lessons to Inform Improvements in Training.

INTRODUCTION: Stability operations, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions, are key functions of U.S. Military medicine and the Military Medical Humanitarian Assistance Course (MMHAC) is a 2-day course widely used to prepare military medical personnel for such missions. It focuses on caring for those most vulnerable in the wake of disasters, particularly children. The large-scale humanitarian deployment of military medical providers in support of Operation Allies Welcome/Operation Allies Refuge (OAW/OAR) presents an opportunity to evaluate the preparedness of these providers to care for the needs of the Afghan travelers, so we explored the experiences of military medical providers deployed in support of OAW/OAR to inform improvements in the MMHAC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study of military medical providers who were deployed in support of OAW/OAR using a series of three virtual focus groups. Focus group questions were structured around the main topics covered in the MMHAC (patient care, ethical considerations, logistical concerns, and preventive and public health) and explicitly asked about adaptive leadership challenges faced and strategies used to overcome them. We analyzed transcripts using inductive thematic analysis within a constructivist paradigm, with adaptive leadership as a sensitizing concept. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Uniformed Services University. RESULTS: We constructed 4 themes from participant responses, each addressing challenges that medical providers faced during their mission: (1) Medical providers navigated tension between medical and public health priorities and military mission priorities; (2) Chronic and complex care needs posed unique challenges for medical personnel; (3) Challenges in patient care were compounded by logistical and system-based barriers; and (4) Cultural barriers led to ethical dilemmas that physicians felt inadequately prepared to handle, most notably with respect to gender-related concerns. Within each theme, participants described which aspects of MMHAC training were most helpful and which areas were inadequate. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians found the OAR/OAW mission meaningful but also identified challenges related to medical care provision, public health, logistics, and ethical dilemmas that hindered their ability to carry out their medical mission. Lessons learned from OAW/OAR highlight several areas in which the MMHAC training could be augmented and improved to further mitigate these challenges.

Ownership of Patient Care: Medical Students' Expectations, Experiences, and Evolutions Across the Core Clerkship Curriculum.

Phenomenon: Ownership of patient care is a key element of professional growth and professional identity formation, but its development among medical students is incompletely understood. Specifically, how attitudes surrounding ownership of patient care develop, what experiences are most influential in shaping them, and how educators can best support this growth are not well known. Therefore, we studied the longitudinal progression of ownership definitions and experiences in medical students across their core clerkship curriculum. Approach: We conducted a series of four longitudinal focus groups with the same cohort of medical students across their core clerkship curriculum. Using workplace learning theory as a sensitizing concept, we conducted semi-structured interviews to explore how definitions, experiences, and influencers of ownership developed and evolved. Results were analyzed inductively using thematic analysis. Findings: Fifteen students participated in four focus groups spanning their core clerkship curriculum. We constructed four themes from responses: (1) students' definitions of ownership of patient care evolved to include more central roles for themselves and more defined limitations; (2) student conceptions of patient care ownership became more relational and reciprocal over time as they ascribed a more active role to patients; (3) student assessment fostered ownership as an external motivator when it explicitly addressed ownership, but detracted from ownership if it removed students from patient care; and (4) structural and logistical factors impacted students' ability to display patient care ownership. Insights: Student conceptions of ownership evolved over their core clerkship curriculum to include more patient care responsibility and more meaningful relational connections with patients, including recognizing patients' agency in this relationship. This progression was contingent on interactions with real patients and students being afforded opportunities to play a meaningful role in their care. Rotation structures and assessment processes are key influencers of care ownership that merit further study, as well as the voice of patients themselves in these relationships.

A Case-Based, Longitudinal Curriculum in Pediatric Behavioral and Mental Health.

Introduction: Pediatric behavioral and mental health (BMH) disorders are increasingly common, but most pediatricians feel inadequately trained to manage them. We implemented a case-based, longitudinal curriculum in BMH within a pediatric residency program to prepare trainees to diagnose and manage these conditions. Methods: The pediatric residency program at Wright State University/Wright-Patterson Medical Center implemented a new BMH curriculum in 2020-2021. The curriculum consisted of five simulated cases involving depression, anxiety, attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADHD), developmental delays, behavioral concerns, and autism. To reflect follow-up within a continuity clinic, cases included initial encounters and multiple follow-up visits. Faculty facilitators led residents in monthly small-group meetings over the academic year, with each session consisting of two to three simulated patient encounters. Residents completed pre-post surveys regarding their confidence in diagnosing and managing BMH conditions and pre- and posttests to evaluate the impact of the curriculum on knowledge gains. Results: All 47 pediatric residents participated in the curriculum; 38 (81%) completed pre-post surveys. Upon completion of the curriculum, residents reported significantly increased confidence in managing ADHD, treating depression, creating safety plans for suicidality, recognizing autism, and counseling patients and families on special education services. Knowledge-based pre- and posttests completed by 25 residents (53%) also demonstrated significant improvement (M = 92.4, SD = 10.9, pre vs. M = 99.3, SD = 6.6, post, p = .009). Discussion: This case-based, longitudinal curriculum in pediatric BMH simulating patient continuity improved residents' confidence and knowledge in diagnosing and managing common BMH conditions.

Enhancing Resident Education in Autism Diagnosis: Training on the Screening Tool for Autism in Toddlers.

OBJECTIVE: Pediatricians feel inadequately prepared to diagnose and manage autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). We developed a curriculum that trains pediatric residents in the Screening Tool for Autism in Toddlers and Young Children (STAT), a tool used to diagnose ASD, and assessed its impact. METHODS: Pediatric residents completed training in the STAT that included interactive video and practice-based elements. Residents completed pretraining and posttraining surveys assessing comfort with diagnosing and treating ASD, knowledge-based pretests and posttests, posttraining interviews, and follow-up assessments at 6 and 12 months after training. RESULTS: Thirty-two residents completed the training. Posttest scores significantly increased [M (SD) 9.8 (2.4) vs 11.7 (2), p < 0.0001]. Knowledge gains were not maintained at 6-month follow-up. Residents reported increased comfort with several ASD management methods and an increased likelihood of using the STAT. More residents reported using the STAT at follow-up: 2 of 29 before training, 5 of 11 at 6 months, and 3 of 13 at 12 months. We identified 4 themes in interview responses: (1) increased sense of empowerment in managing patients with ASD but ongoing reluctance to make a formal diagnosis, (2) logistical barriers affected successful implementation of the STAT, (3) access to developmental pediatricians played an essential role in comfort levels, and (4) the main educational value of the STAT training came from interactive components. CONCLUSION: An ASD curriculum including training in the STAT increased resident knowledge and comfort in diagnosing and managing ASD. Although logistical barriers continue to affect the ability of general pediatricians to diagnose ASD, use of this curriculum has potential to improve long-term outcomes.

Adherence and Barriers to Inpatient Physical Therapy Among Adolescents and Young Adults with Hematologic Malignancies.

This study described inpatient physical therapy (PT) adherence and barriers to inpatient PT among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with hematologic malignancies receiving care at a Midwestern children's hospital. Forty-seven AYAs receiving care over a 2-year period were included. PT contact was established in 93% of hospitalizations. AYAs declined an average of 34% of PT visits, resulting in PT visits on 27% of hospitalized days, 1 day less than the goal of 3 days a week. The most frequent reasons for decline included: AYA sleeping (22%), AYA undergoing medical procedure (18%), and AYA not feeling well (12%).

Interprofessional Education in Child and Adolescent Mental Health: A Scoping Review.

To identify elements of effective interprofessional education (IPE) within child and adolescent mental health (CAMH), we conducted a scoping literature review. A search of four databases revealed 32 studies that met inclusion criteria describing IPE interventions regarding CAMH. Studies included a range of medical, mental health, allied health, educational, and community professionals in clinical, school-based, and community-based settings. The majority of studies have focused on autism or general child mental health. Outcomes were generally positive but skewed toward attitudinal and knowledge-based measures. Practice-based interventions tended to support higher levels of educational outcomes, including behavioral, patient-level, or systems-level changes.

Defragmenting the Day: The Effect of Full-Day Continuity Clinics on Continuity of Care and Perceptions of Clinic.

PROBLEM: Traditional half-day continuity clinics within primary care residency programs require residents to split time between their assigned clinical rotation and continuity clinic, which can have detrimental effects on resident experiences and patient care within continuity clinics. Most previous efforts to separate inpatient and outpatient obligations have employed block scheduling models, which entail significant rearrangements to clinical rotations, team structures, and didactic education and have yielded mixed effects on continuity of care. A full-day continuity clinic schedule within a traditional, non-block rotation framework holds potential to de-conflict resident schedules without the logistical rearrangements required to adopt block scheduling models, but no literature has described the effect of such full-day continuity clinics on continuity of care or resident experiences within continuity clinic. INTERVENTION: A pediatric residency program implemented full-day continuity clinics within a traditional rotation framework. We examined the change in continuity for physician (PHY) measure in the six months prior to versus the six months following the switch, as well as changes in how often residents saw clinic patients in follow-up and personally followed up clinic laboratory and radiology results, which we term episodic follow-up. Resident and attending perceptions of full-day continuity clinics were measured using a survey administered 5-7 months after the switch. CONTEXT: The switch to full-day continuity clinics occurred in January 2018 within the Wright State University/Wright-Patterson Medical Center Pediatric Residency Program. The program has 46 residents who are assigned to one of two continuity clinic sites, each of which implemented the full-day continuity clinics simultaneously. OUTCOME: The PHY for residents at one clinic decreased slightly from 18.0% to 13.6% (p<.001) with full-day continuity clinics but was unchanged at another clinic [60.6% vs 59.5%, p=.86]. Measures of episodic follow-up were unchanged. Residents (32/46 = 77% responding) and attendings (6/8 = 75% responding) indicated full-day continuity clinics improved residents' balance of inpatient and outpatient obligations, preparation for clinic, continuity relationships with patients, and clinic satisfaction. LESSONS LEARNED: Full-day continuity clinics within a traditional rotation framework had mixed effects on continuity of care but improved residents' experiences within clinic. This model offers a viable alternative to block scheduling models for primary care residency programs wishing to defragment resident schedules.Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/10401334.2021.1879652.

"It is you, me on the team together, and my child": Attending, resident, and patient family perspectives on patient ownership.

INTRODUCTION: Patient ownership is an important element of physicians' professional responsibility, but important gaps remain in our understanding of this concept. We sought to develop a theory of patient ownership by studying it in continuity clinics from the perspective of residents, attending physicians, and patients. METHODS: Using constructivist grounded theory, we conducted 27 semi-structured interviews of attending physicians, residents, and patient families within two pediatric continuity clinics to examine definitions, expectations, and experiences of patient ownership from March-August 2019. We constructed themes using constant comparative analysis and developed a theory describing patient ownership that takes into account a diversity of perspectives. RESULTS: Patient ownership was described as a bi-directional, relational commitment between patient/family and physician that includes affective and behavioral components. The experience of patient ownership was promoted by continuity of care and constrained by logistical and other systems-based factors. The physician was seen as part of a medical care team that included clinic staff and patient families. Physicians adjusted expectations surrounding patient ownership for residents based on scheduling limitations. DISCUSSION: Our theory of patient ownership portrays the patient/family as an active participant in the patient-physician relationship, rather than a passive recipient of care. While specific expectations and tasks will vary based on the practice setting, our findings reframe the way in which patient ownership can be viewed and studied in the future by attending to a diversity of perspectives.

Thematic analysis of qualitative data: AMEE Guide No. 131.

Thematic analysis is a widely used, yet often misunderstood, method of qualitative data analysis. It is a useful and accessible tool for qualitative researchers, but confusion regarding the method's philosophical underpinnings and imprecision in how it has been described have complicated its use and acceptance among researchers. In this Guide, we outline what thematic analysis is, positioning it in relation to other methods of qualitative analysis, and describe when it is appropriate to use the method under a variety of epistemological frameworks. We also provide a detailed definition of a theme, as this term is often misapplied. Next, we describe the most commonly used six-step framework for conducting thematic analysis, illustrating each step using examples from our own research. Finally, we discuss advantages and disadvantages of this method and alert researchers to pitfalls to avoid when using thematic analysis. We aim to highlight thematic analysis as a powerful and flexible method of qualitative analysis and to empower researchers at all levels of experience to conduct thematic analysis in rigorous and thoughtful way.

Use of Individualized Learning Plans to Facilitate Feedback Among Medical Students.

THEORY: Self-regulated learning theory suggests that individualized learning plans can benefit medical trainees by providing a structured means of goal setting, self-monitoring, and self-evaluation. External feedback also plays an important role in affecting learner motivations, perceptions, and self-evaluations. Accordingly, having learners share individualized learning plans with preceptors might promote self-regulated learning by helping align the feedback they receive with their learning goals. Hypothesis: We hypothesized having medical students share individualized learning plans with attendings and residents would improve the quality of the feedback they received, increase the likelihood that feedback correlated to their learning goals, and improve their perceptions of feedback received. Method: In this multisite study, third-year medical students on their pediatric clerkship created individualized learning plans and shared them with residents and attendings by writing a learning goal on at least one of their required faculty feedback forms. The quality of feedback on forms with versus without a learning goal written on top was scored using a validated scoring tool and compared using a Wilcoxon signed-ranks test, and the frequency with which feedback directly correlated to a student learning goal on forms with versus without a learning goal written on top was compared using a chi-square test. Students completed a post-clerkship survey rating the quality of feedback and teaching they received, perceptions of the individualized learning plans, progress toward achieving learning goals, and whether or not they received teaching and/or feedback related to learning goals. Results: Thirty-six students completed a total of 108 learning goals and 181 feedback forms, of which 42 forms (23.2%) had a learning goal written on top. The mean (SD) feedback score between forms with [3.9 (0.9)] versus without [3.6 (0.6)] a learning goal written on top was not different (p = .113). Feedback on forms with a learning goal written on top was more likely to correlate to a student learning goal than feedback on forms without a learning goal (92.9% vs 23.0% respectively, p < .001). Student perceptions of the usefulness of learning goals did not differ between students who reported receiving teaching or feedback related to a learning goal and those who did not. Conclusions: Sharing individualized learning plans with preceptors helped align feedback with learning goals but did not affect the quality of feedback. Further research should examine the bidirectional relationship between individualized learning plans and feedback in light of other contextual and interpersonal factors.

Whose Patient Is This? A Scoping Review of Patient Ownership.

PURPOSE: The scope of physicians' responsibility toward patients is becoming increasingly complicated to delimit as interdisciplinary care delivery and degrees of subspecialization increase. Patients can easily be lost across multiple transitions involved in care. Preparing learners to engage in safe and responsible patient care requires that we be clear about parameters of patient ownership. This scoping review (1) explores and synthesizes definitions of patient ownership and (2) describes the factors that influence patient ownership. METHOD: Searching PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO, the authors sought out publications of any format (i.e., original research papers, review articles, commentaries, editorials, and author discussions) that (1) addressed patient ownership directly or a closely related concept that explicitly affected patient ownership, (2) included medical care providers (attending/faculty physicians, medical residents, and/or medical students), and (3) were published in English. The authors analyzed findings to construct common themes and categorize findings. RESULTS: Of 411 papers screened, 82 met our inclusion criteria. Twenty-three papers defined patient ownership in highly variable ways. Common themes across definitions included responsibility for patient care, personally carrying out patient care tasks, knowledge of patients' medical information, independent decision making, and putting patients' needs above one's own. Factors influencing patient ownership were (1) logistical concerns, (2) personal attributes, and (3) socially or organizationally constructed expectations. CONCLUSIONS: A new definition of patient ownership is proposed encompassing findings from the review, while also respecting the shift from individual to a team-based patient care, and without removing the centrality of an individual provider's commitment to patients.

Early Protocolized Versus Usual Care Rehabilitation for Pediatric Neurocritical Care Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: s: Few feasibility, safety, and efficacy data exist regarding ICU-based rehabilitative services for children. We hypothesized that early protocolized assessment and therapy would be feasible and safe versus usual care in pediatric neurocritical care patients. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Three tertiary care PICUs in the United States. PATIENTS: Fifty-eight children between the ages of 3-17 years with new traumatic or nontraumatic brain insult and expected ICU admission greater than 48 hours. INTERVENTIONS: Early protocolized (consultation of physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy within 72 hr ICU admission, n = 26) or usual care (consultation per treating team, n = 32). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Primary outcomes were consultation timing, treatment type, and frequency of deferrals and safety events. Secondary outcomes included patient and family functional and quality of life outcomes at 6 months. Comparing early protocolized (n = 26) and usual care groups (n = 32), physical therapy was consulted during the hospital admission in 26 of 26 versus 28 of 32 subjects (p = 0.062) on day 2.4 ± 0.8 versus 7.7 ± 4.8 (p = 0.001); occupational therapy in 26 of 26 versus 23 of 32 (p = 0.003), on day 2.3 ± 0.6 versus 6.9 ± 4.8 (p = 0.001); and speech and language therapy in 26 of 26 versus 17 of 32 (p = 0.011) on day 2.3 ± 0.7 versus 13.0 ± 10.8 (p = 0.026). More children in the early protocolized group had consults and treatments occur in the ICU versus ward for all three services (all p < 0.001). Eleven sessions were discontinued early: nine during physical therapy and two during occupational therapy, none impacting patient outcome. There were no group differences in functional or quality of life outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: A protocol for early personalized rehabilitation by physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy in pediatric neurocritical care patients could be safely implemented and led to more ICU-based treatment sessions, accelerating the temporal profile and changing composition of interventions versus usual care, but not altering the total dose of rehabilitation.

A Model for Cultivating a Culture of Continuous Learning and Improvement: An Ethnographic Report.

The importance of culture is often emphasized for continuous learning and quality improvement within health care organizations. Limited empirical evidence for cultivating a culture that supports continuous learning and quality improvement in health care settings is currently available. The purpose of this report is to characterize the evolution of a large division of physical therapists and occupational therapists in a pediatric hospital setting from 2005 to 2018 to identify key facilitators and barriers for cultivating a culture empowered to engage in continuous learning and improvement. An ethnographic methodology was used including participant observation, document review, and stakeholder interviews to acquire a deep understanding and develop a theoretical model to depict insights gained from the investigation. A variety of individual, social, and structural enablers and motivators emerged as key influences toward a culture empowered to support continuous learning and improvement. Features of the system that helped create sustainable, positive momentum (e.g., systems thinking, leaders with grit, and mindful design) and factors that hindered momentum (e.g., system uncertainty, staff turnover, slow barrier resolution, and competing priorities) were also identified. Individual-level, social-level, and structural-level elements all influenced the culture that emerged over a 12-year period. Several cultural catalysts and deterrents emerged as factors that supported and hindered progress and sustainability of the emergent culture. Cultivating a culture of continuous learning and improvement is possible. Purposeful consideration of the proposed model and identified factors from this report may yield important insights to advance understanding of how to cultivate a culture that facilitates continuous learning and improvement within a health care setting.

A Project-Based, Resident-Led Quality Improvement Curriculum Within a Pediatric Continuity Clinic.

Introduction: Participation in quality improvement (QI) projects is required of pediatric residents, and evidence-based medicine has highlighted the importance of providing residents with experiential practice in this realm. Embedding QI projects within a continuity clinic provides residents an opportunity for meaningful involvement in QI efforts. Methods: A QI curriculum was implemented within a pediatric residency program that included an introductory lecture on QI principles and participation in resident-led, team-based QI projects at an outpatient clinic. Residents designed, implemented, and analyzed projects beginning in their intern year. Projects operated on an accelerated, 6-month time frame, allowing residents to complete multiple projects over the course of their residency. Resident QI knowledge was assessed before and after an introductory lecture with the Quality Improvement Knowledge Application Tool (QIKAT). Resident feedback was solicited 1 year following curriculum implementation via anonymous online surveys. Results: Residents completed four QI projects that produced meaningful improvements in clinic processes and patient care. QIKAT scores significantly increased after the introductory lecture. Residents reported that the curriculum afforded them increased confidence to implement plan-do-study-act cycles and improve patient care in their future practices. Qualitative feedback highlighted the team-based structure, participation in multiple projects, and visible direct impacts on patient care as strengths of the curriculum. Increased involvement of clinic staff, scheduling concerns, and improved communication were areas for improvement. Discussion: Our model for integrating resident-led QI projects into an ambulatory clinic rotation is feasible and has been well received by residents and impactful on clinic processes and care.

Implementation of a Quality Improvement Initiative: Improved Congenital Muscular Torticollis Outcomes in a Large Hospital Setting.

BACKGROUND: The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) published a guideline for congenital muscular torticollis (CMT) in 2013. Our division adopted the guideline as the institutional practice standard and engaged in a quality improvement (QI) initiative to increase the percentage of patients who achieved resolution of CMT within 6 months of evaluation. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this report are to describe the QI activities conducted to improve patient outcomes and discuss the results and implications for other institutions and patient populations. DESIGN: This was a quality improvement study. METHODS: In alignment with the Chronic Care Model and Model of Improvement, an aim and operationally defined key outcome and process measures were established. Interventions were tested using Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles. A CMT registry was established to store and manage data extracted from the electronic record over the course of testing. Statistical process control charts were used to monitor progress over time. RESULTS: The QI initiative resulted in an increase in the percentage of patients who achieved full resolution of CMT within a 6-month episode of care from 42% to 61% over an 18-month period. Themes that emerged as key drivers of improvement included: (1) timely, optimal access to care, (2) effective audit and clinician feedback, and (3) accurate, timely documentation. LIMITATIONS: The initiative took place at a single institution with a supportive culture and strong QI resources, which may limit direct translation of interventions and findings to other institutions and patient populations. CONCLUSIONS: Improvement science methodologies provided the tools and structure to improve division-wide workflow and increase consistency in the implementation of the APTA CMT guideline. In doing so, significant CMT population outcome improvements were achieved.

Intermittent versus Persistent Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome in Children: Electrophysiologic Properties and Clinical Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Intermittent Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is considered to have a lower risk of sudden death. Fewer data exist regarding electrophysiologic (EP) characteristics and the natural history of intermittent WPW in children. METHODS: All patients with WPW age 1-18 years at a single institution (1996-2013) were reviewed. Patients with intermittent preexcitation were compared to those with loss of preexcitation on Holter/exercise testing and those with persistent preexcitation. High-risk accessory pathway (AP) was defined as AP effective refractory period (APERP), block cycle length, or shortest preexcited RR interval during atrial fibrillation ≤250 ms. RESULTS: A total of 295 patients were included: 226 (76.6%) persistent, 39 (13.2%) intermittent, and 30 (10.2%) loss of preexcitation Holter/exercise. There were no differences in symptoms between groups. Median interquartile range APERP was significantly longer in intermittent WPW (380 [320, 488] ms vs 320 [300, 350] ms persistent, 310 [290, 330] ms loss of preexcitation Holter/exercise; P = 0.0008). At baseline, there was no difference between groups in frequency of high-risk pathways. However, when isoproterenol values were included, high-risk pathways were more frequent among patients with loss of preexcitation on Holter/exercise (54% vs 16% persistent, 11% intermittent; P = 0.005). There was one death in a patient with loss of preexcitation on exercise testing, no EP study, and prior drug use. A second patient with persistent WPW and APERP 270 ms required resuscitation following a methadone overdose. CONCLUSION: Intermittent preexcitation in children does not connote a lower risk AP by EP criteria or reduced symptoms. The low number of pediatric WPW patients who develop preexcited atrial fibrillation or sudden death warrants larger studies to investigate these outcomes.