Opportunities for Diagnostic Improvement Among Pediatric Hospital Readmissions.

OBJECTIVES: Diagnostic errors, termed "missed opportunities for improving diagnosis" (MOIDs), are known sources of harm in children but have not been well characterized in pediatric hospital medicine. Our objectives were to systematically identify and describe MOIDs among general pediatric patients who experienced hospital readmission, outline improvement opportunities, and explore factors associated with increased risk of MOID. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Our retrospective cohort study included unplanned readmissions within 15 days of discharge from a freestanding children's hospital (October 2018-September 2020). Health records from index admissions and readmissions were independently reviewed and discussed by practicing inpatient physicians to identify MOIDs using an established instrument, SaferDx. MOIDs were evaluated using a diagnostic-specific tool to identify improvement opportunities within the diagnostic process. RESULTS: MOIDs were identified in 22 (6.3%) of 348 readmissions. Opportunities for improvement included: delay in considering the correct diagnosis (n = 11, 50%) and failure to order needed test(s) (n = 10, 45%). Patients with MOIDs were older (median age: 3.8 [interquartile range 1.5-11.2] vs 1.0 [0.3-4.9] years) than patients without MOIDs but similar in sex, primary language, race, ethnicity, and insurance type. We did not identify conditions associated with higher risk of MOID. Lower respiratory tract infections accounted for 26% of admission diagnoses but only 1 (4.5%) case of MOID. CONCLUSIONS: Standardized review of pediatric readmissions identified MOIDs and opportunities for improvement within the diagnostic process, particularly in clinician decision-making. We identified conditions with low incidence of MOID. Further work is needed to better understand pediatric populations at highest risk for MOID.

A 7-Year-Old With Persistent Fever and Cough.

A previously healthy, fully immunized 7-year-old girl presented with a 7-week history of daily fevers and a worsening cough with persistently elevated inflammatory markers. Before admission, she had an unrevealing outpatient workup by infectious disease, rheumatology, pulmonology, and otorhinolaryngology for her fever and other symptoms. Multiple courses of antibiotics had no effect, but brief courses of steroids seemed to modestly alleviate her symptoms. At an outside hospital, a computed tomography neck and chest scan revealed mediastinal lymphadenopathy. She was subsequently transferred to the authors' institution. Her examination was notable for a febrile, tired-appearing girl in respiratory distress with a muffled voice and inspiratory stridor. Her laboratory tests revealed leukocytosis with left shift, microcytic anemia, and hypoalbuminemia, as well as elevated inflammatory markers, ferritin, and fecal calprotectin. Her peripheral smear, uric acid, and lactate dehydrogenase were all within normal limits. Infectious study results, including blood and urine cultures, cytomegalovirus serologies, and Bartonella serologies were negative. On the second read of her outside computed tomography imaging, her lymphadenopathy was felt to be nonpathologic. Based on a recommendation by rheumatology, an ophthalmologic examination was obtained, which revealed bilateral anterior uveitis; however, rheumatologic laboratory test results returned negative. Her fevers continued, and inflammatory markers remained elevated despite antibiotics. On day 6 of hospitalization, she developed worsening respiratory distress, necessitating intubation and transfer to the ICU. Repeat laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy revealed severe purulent tracheitis; however, throat cultures remained sterile. Her clinical deterioration without identification of an offending organism prompted additional evaluation for a systemic etiology.