Implementation of 2D Barcode Medication Labels and Smart Pumps in Pediatric Acute Care: Lessons Learned.

BACKGROUND: In pediatric intensive care, prescription, administration, and interpretation of drug doses are weight dependent. The use of standardized concentrations simplifies the preparation of drugs and increases safety. For safe administration as well as easy interpretation of intravenous drug dosing regimens with standardized concentrations, the display of weight-related dose rates on the infusion device is of pivotal significance. OBJECTIVES: We report on challenges in the implementation of a new information technology-supported medication workflow. The workflow was introduced on eight beds in the pediatric heart surgery intensive care unit as well as in the pediatric anesthesia at the University of Bonn Medical Center. The proposed workflow utilizes medication labels generated from prescription data from the electronic health record. The generated labels include a two-dimensional barcode to transfer data to the infusion devices. METHODS: Clinical and technical processes were agilely developed. The reliability of the system under real-life conditions was monitored. User satisfaction and potential for improvement were assessed. In addition, a structured survey among the nursing staff was performed. The questionnaire addressed usability as well as the end-users' perception of the effects on patient safety. RESULTS: The workflow has been applied 44,111 times during the pilot phase. A total of 114 known failures in the technical infrastructure were observed. The survey showed good ratings for usability and safety (median "school grade" 2 or B for patient safety, intelligibility, patient identification, and handling). The medical management of the involved acute care facilities rated the process as clearly beneficial regarding patient safety, suggesting a rollout to all pediatric intensive care areas. CONCLUSION: A medical information technology-supported medication workflow can increase user satisfaction and patient safety as perceived by the clinical end-users in pediatric acute care. The successful implementation benefits from an interdisciplinary team, active investigation of possible associated risks, and technical redundancy.

Diagnostic accuracy of physician-staffed emergency medical teams: a retrospective observational cohort study of prehospital versus hospital diagnosis in a 10-year interval.

BACKGROUND: In Germany, emergency medical teams are staffed with physicians but evidence regarding their prehospital diagnostic accuracy remains poor. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the out-of-hospital diagnostic accuracy of physician-staffed emergency medical teams (PEMTs). METHODS: A retrospective observational cohort study involving the Emergency Medical Service Bonn, Germany, from January to December 2004 and 2014 respectively. A total of 8346 patients underwent medical treatment by PEMTs, of which 1960 adult patients (inclusion criteria: ≥18 years of age, hospital diagnosis available) were included for further analysis. Reasons for non-inclusion: death on scene, outpatient, interhospital transfer, mental illness, false alarm, no hospital medical history available. The overall diagnostic accuracy (correct or false) of PEMTs was measured after matching the prehospital diagnosis with the corresponding diagnosis of the hospital. Secondary outcome measures were incidence of common PEMT diagnoses (acute coronary syndrome (ACS), dyspnea, stroke/intracerebral bleeding), recognition rate of a given disease by PEMTs, and prehospital diagnostic accuracy in elderly patients. RESULTS: PEMT calls increased 2-fold over a decade (2004: n = 3151 vs. 2014: n = 5195). Overall diagnostic accuracy of PEMTs increased from 87.5% in 2004 to 92.6% in the year 2014. The incidence of common PEMT diagnoses such as ACS, dyspnea or stroke/intracerebral bleeding increased 2-fold from 2004 to 2014. The recognition rate of a given disease by the PEMT varied between 2004 and 2014: an increase was observed when a stroke/intracerebral bleeding was diagnosed (2004: 67% vs. 2014: 83%; p = 0.054), a decreased rate of recognition occurred when a syncope/collapse was diagnosed (2004: 81% vs. 2014: 56%; p = 0.007) and a sepsis appears to be a rare event for EMS personnel (2004: 0% vs. 2014: 23%). Linear regression analysis revealed that the prehospital diagnostic accuracy decreases in the elderly patient. CONCLUSIONS: The overall prehospital diagnostic accuracy of PEMTs improved between the year 2004 and 2014 respectively. Our findings suggest that the incidence of common diseases (ACS, dyspnea stroke/intracerebral bleeding, sepsis) increased over a 10-year period. Diagnostic accuracy of different diseases varied but generally decreased in the elderly patient. Regular training of EMS personnel and public campaigns should be implemented to improve the diagnostic accuracy in the future.

Outcome of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest over a period of 15 years in comparison to the RACA score in a physician staffed urban emergency medical service in Germany.

BACKGROUND: Patient outcome after out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) depends on the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performance and might also be influenced by organisation of the emergency medical service (EMS) and implementation of guidelines. AIM: To assess the rate of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after cardiac arrest to the predicted rate by the ROSC after cardiac arrest (RACA) score over a 15-year period reflecting three different implemented ALS-guidelines in a physician-staffed EMS. METHODS: All adult patients with non-traumatic OHCA in the EMS of Bonn from 1996 to 2011 were included. Utstein data from three 5-years time periods (1996-2001, 2001-2006, 2006-2011) representing different ALS-guideline implementations were collected. Group comparisons were made in terms of incidence, epidemiology and short-term outcome of CPR with emphasis on changes over time and factors of importance. In each group observed ROSC rate were compared to the predicted ROSC rates (the RACA score). RESULTS: CPR by the ALS unit was attempted in a total of 1989 patients (735, 666, and 588 patients in the first, second and third period, respectively). Average crude incidence of CPR per 100,000 person-years decreased over time (61.3; 55.5; 49.0/100,000/years) while patients treated were significantly older (65.5 ± 16.5; 67.9 ± 15; 68.9 ± 15.7 (p<0.001)). Observed ROSC rates were higher than predicted by the RACA score in all time periods, however, admittance to ICU decreased significantly from 50% in the first five-year period to 38% last five-year period (p<0.001). From first to third period the proportion of arrests with first observed rhythm of VT/VF arrests did not change (29% vs. 27%, p=0.323) nor there were changes in bystander CPR rates (17% vs. 17%, p=0.520). CONCLUSIONS: In a 15-years period and in the setting of a physician-staffed EMS the ROSC rates remain higher than predicted by the RACA score but the admittance to the ICU after OHCA declined significantly. This finding was accompanied by a decrease in CPR incidence and an increase in age of patients.

Monitoring of cerebral oxygen saturation during resuscitation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a feasibility study in a physician staffed emergency medical system.

BACKGROUND: Despite recent advances in resuscitation algorithms, neurological injury after cardiac arrest due to cerebral ischemia and reperfusion is one of the reasons for poor neurological outcome. There is currently no adequate means of measuring cerebral perfusion during cardiac arrest. It was the aim of this study to investigate the feasibility of measuring near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as a potential surrogate parameter for cerebral perfusion in patients with out-of-hospital resuscitations in a physician-staffed emergency medical service. METHODS: An emergency physician responding to out-of-hospital emergencies was equipped with a NONIN cerebral oximetry device. Cerebral oximetry values (rSO2) were continuously recorded during resuscitation and transport. Feasibility was defined as >80% of total achieved recording time in relation to intended recording time. RESULTS: 10 patients were prospectively enrolled. In 89.8% of total recording time, rSO2 values could be recorded (213 minutes and 20 seconds), thus meeting feasibility criteria. 3 patients experienced return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). rSO2 during manual cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was lower in patients who did not experience ROSC compared to the 3 patients with ROSC (31.6%, ± 7.4 versus 37.2% ± 17.0). ROSC was associated with an increase in rSO2. Decrease of rSO2 indicated occurrence of re-arrest in 2 patients. In 2 patients a mechanical chest compression device was used. rSO2 values during mechanical compression were increased by 12.7% and 19.1% compared to manual compression. CONCLUSIONS: NIRS monitoring is feasible during resuscitation of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and can be a useful tool during resuscitation, leading to an earlier detection of ROSC and re-arrest. Higher initial rSO2 values during CPR seem to be associated with the occurrence of ROSC. The use of mechanical chest compression devices might result in higher rSO2. These findings need to be confirmed by larger studies.