Maternal and child patterns of Medicaid retention: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: We sought to determine whether maternal Medicaid retention influences child Medicaid retention because caregivers play a critical role in assuring children's health access. METHODS: We conducted a longitudinal prospective cohort study of a convenience sample of 604 Medicaid-eligible mother-child dyads followed from the infant's birth through 24 months of age with parent surveys. Individual enrollment status was abstracted from administrative Medicaid eligibility files. Generalized estimating equations quantified the effect of maternal Medicaid enrollment status on child Medicaid retention, adjusting for relevant covariates. Because varying lengths of gaps may have different effects on child health outcomes, Medicaid enrollment status was further categorized by length of gap: any gap, > 14-days, and > 60-days. RESULTS: This cohort consists primarily of African-American (94%), unmarried mothers (88%), with a mean age of 23.2 years. In multivariable analysis, children whose mothers experienced any gaps in coverage had 12.6 times greater odds of experiencing gaps when compared to children whose mothers were continuously enrolled. Use of varying thresholds to define coverage gaps resulted in similar odds ratios (> 14-day gap = 11.8, > 60-day gap = 16.8). Cash assistance receipt and maternal knowledge of differences between Temporary Assistance to Needy Families and Medicaid eligibility criteria demonstrated strong protective effects against child Medicaid disenrollment. CONCLUSIONS: Medicaid disenrollment remains a significant policy problem and maternal Medicaid retention patterns show strong effects on child Medicaid retention. Policymakers need to invest in effective outreach strategies, including family-friendly application processes, to reduce enrollment barriers so that all eligible families can take advantage of these coverage opportunities.

Intravenous Versus Oral Antibiotics for the Prevention of Treatment Failure in Children With Complicated Appendicitis: Has the Abandonment of Peripherally Inserted Catheters Been Justified?

OBJECTIVE: To compare treatment failure leading to hospital readmission in children with complicated appendicitis who received oral versus intravenous antibiotics after discharge. BACKGROUND: Antibiotics are often employed after discharge to prevent treatment failure in children with complicated appendicitis, although existing studies comparing intravenous and oral antibiotics for this purpose are limited. METHODS: We identified all patients aged 3 to 18 years undergoing appendectomy for complicated appendicitis, who received postdischarge antibiotics at 35 childrens hospitals from 2009 to 2012. Discharge codes were used to identify study subjects from the Pediatric Health Information System database, and chart review confirmed eligibility, treatment assignment, and outcomes. Exposure status was based on outpatient antibiotic therapy, and analysis used optimal and full matching methods to adjust for demographic and clinical characteristics. Treatment failure (defined as an organ-space infection) requiring inpatient readmission was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included revisits from any cause to either the inpatient or emergency department setting. RESULTS: In all, 4579 patients were included (median: 99/hospital), and utilization of intravenous antibiotics after discharge ranged from 0% to 91.7% across hospitals. In the matched analysis, the rate of treatment failure was significantly higher for the intravenous group than the oral group [odds ratio (OR) 1.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-2.88; risk difference: 4.0%, 95% CI 0.4-7.6%], as was the rate of all-cause revisits (OR 2.11, 95% CI 1.44-3.11; risk difference: 9.4%, 95% CI 4.7-14.2%). The rate of peripherally inserted central catheter line complications was 3.2% in the intravenous group, and drug reactions were rare in both groups (intravenous: 0.7%, oral: 0.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with oral antibiotics, use of intravenous antibiotics after discharge in children with complicated appendicitis was associated with higher rates of both treatment failure and all-cause hospital revisits.

The Use of Pediatric Ventricular Assist Devices in Children's Hospitals From 2000 to 2010: Morbidity, Mortality, and Hospital Charges.

OBJECTIVE: The use of ventricular assist devices has increased dramatically in adult heart failure patients. However, the overall use, outcome, comorbidities, and resource utilization of ventricular assist devices in pediatric patients have not been well described. We sought to demonstrate that the use of ventricular assist devices in pediatric patients has increased over time and that mortality has decreased. DESIGN: A retrospective study of the Pediatric Health Information System database was performed for patients 20 years old or younger undergoing ventricular assist device placement from 2000 to 2010. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Four hundred seventy-five pediatric patients were implanted with ventricular assist devices during the study period: 69 in 2000-2003 (era 1), 135 in 2004-2006 (era 2), and 271 in 2007-2010 (era 3). Median age at ventricular assist device implantation was 6.0 years (interquartile range, 0.5-13.8), and the proportion of children who were 1-12 years old increased from 29% in era 1 to 47% in era 3 (p = 0.002). The majority of patients had a diagnosis of cardiomyopathy; this increased from 52% in era 1 to 72% in era 3 (p = 0.003). Comorbidities included arrhythmias (48%), pulmonary hypertension (16%), acute renal failure (34%), cerebrovascular disease (28%), and sepsis/systemic inflammatory response syndrome (34%). Two hundred forty-seven patients (52%) underwent heart transplantation and 327 (69%) survived to hospital discharge. Hospital mortality decreased from 42% in era 1 to 25% in era 3 (p = 0.004). Median hospital length of stay increased (37 d [interquartile range, 12-64 d] in era 1 vs 69 d [interquartile range, 35-130] in era 3; p < 0.001) and median adjusted hospital charges increased ($630,630 [interquartile range, $227,052-$853,318] in era 1 vs $1,577,983 [interquartile range, $874,463-$2,280,435] in era 3; p < 0.001). Factors associated with increased mortality include age less than 1 year (odds ratio, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.01-3.83), acute renal failure (odds ratio, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.26-3.65), cerebrovascular disease (odds ratio, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.25-3.62), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (odds ratio, 3.16; 95% CI, 1.79-5.60). Ventricular assist device placement in era 3 (odds ratio, 0.3; 95% CI, 0.15-0.57) and a diagnosis of cardiomyopathy (odds ratio, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.32-0.84), were associated with decreased mortality. Large-volume centers had lower mortality (odds ratio, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.34-0.88), lower use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and higher charges. CONCLUSIONS: The use of ventricular assist devices and survival after ventricular assist device placement in pediatric patients have increased over time, with a concomitant increase in resource utilization. Age under 1 year, certain noncardiac morbidities, and the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation are associated with worse outcomes. Lower mortality was seen at larger volume ventricular assist device centers.

Effect of maternal-child home visitation on pregnancy spacing for first-time Latina mothers.

OBJECTIVES: We examined the impact of a maternal-child home visitation program on birth spacing for first-time Latina mothers, focusing on adolescents and women who identified as Mexican or Puerto Rican. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study. One thousand Latina women enrolled in the Pennsylvania Nurse-Family Partnership between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2007, were matched to nonenrolled Latina women using propensity scores. The primary outcome was the time to second pregnancy that resulted in a live birth (interpregnancy interval). Proportional hazards models and bootstrap methods compared the time to event. RESULTS: Home visitation was associated with a small decrease in the risk of a short interpregnancy interval (≤ 18 months) among Latina women (hazards ratio [HR] = 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.75, 0.99). This effect was driven by outcomes among younger adolescent women (HR = 0.80; 95% CI = 0.65, 0.96). There was also a trend toward significance for women of Mexican heritage (HR = 0.74; 95% CI = 0.49, 1.07), although this effect might be attributed to individual agency performance. CONCLUSIONS: Home visitation using the Nurse-Family Partnership model had measurable effects on birth spacing in Latina women.

Longitudinal association of county-level economic indicators and child maltreatment incidents.

To evaluate the association between economic indicators (unemployment and mortgage foreclosure rates) and volume of investigated and substantiated cases of child maltreatment at the county level from 1990 to 2010 in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. County-level investigated reports of child maltreatment and proportion of investigated cases substantiated by child protective services in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania were compared with county-level unemployment rates from 1990 to 2010, and with county-level mortgage foreclosure rates from 2000 to 2010. We employed fixed-effects Poisson regression modeling to estimate the association between volume of investigated and substantiated cases of maltreatment, and current and prior levels of local economic indicators adjusting for temporal trend. Across Pennsylvania, annual rate of investigated maltreatment reports decreased through the 1990s and rose in the early 2000s before reaching a peak of 9.21 investigated reports per 1,000 children in 2008, during the recent economic recessionary period. The proportion of investigated cases substantiated, however, decreased statewide from 33 % in 1991 to 15 % in 2010. Within counties, current unemployment rate, and current and prior-year foreclosure rates were positively associated with volume of both investigated and substantiated child maltreatment incidents (p < 0.05). Despite recent increases in investigations, the proportion of investigated cases substantiated decreased by more than half from 1990 to 2010 in Pennsylvania. This trend suggests significant changes in substantiation standards and practices during the period of study. Economic indicators demonstrated strong association with investigated and substantiated maltreatment, underscoring the urgent need for directing important prophylactic efforts and resources to communities experiencing economic hardship.

COVID-19 and Asthma Onset in Children.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Respiratory viral infections increase risk of asthma in infants and children. Infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus can cause severe lung inflammation and prolonged respiratory symptoms. We sought to determine whether SARS-CoV-2 infection modified pediatric incident asthma risk. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study examined children ages 1 to 16 within the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Care Network who received polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for SARS-CoV-2 between March 1, 2020 and February 28, 2021. Multivariable Cox regression models assessed the hazard ratio of new asthma diagnosis between SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive and SARS-CoV-2 PCR negative groups within an 18-month observation window. Models were adjusted for demographic characteristics, socioeconomic variables, and atopic comorbidities. RESULTS: There were 27 423 subjects included in the study. In adjusted analyses, SARS-CoV-2 PCR positivity had no significant effect on the hazard of new asthma diagnosis (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.96; P = .79). Black race (HR: 1.49; P = .004), food allergies (HR: 1.26; P = .025), and allergic rhinitis (HR: 2.30; P < .001) significantly increased the hazard of new asthma diagnosis. Preterm birth (HR: 1.48; P = .005) and BMI (HR: 1.13; P < .001) significantly increased the hazard of new asthma diagnosis for children <5 years old. CONCLUSIONS: SARS-CoV-2 PCR positivity was not associated with new asthma diagnosis in children within the observation period, although known risk factors for pediatric asthma were confirmed. This study informs the prognosis and care of children with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Pediatric Population Management Classification for Children with Medical Complexity.

Improving the overall care of children with medical complexity (CMC) is often beset by challenges in proactively identifying the population most in need of clinical management and quality improvement. The objective of the current study was to create a system to better capture longitudinal risk for sustained and elevated utilization across time using real-time electronic health record (EHR) data. A new Pediatric Population Management Classification (PPMC), drawn from visit diagnoses and continuity problem lists within the EHR of a tristate health system, was compared with an existing complex chronic conditions (CCC) system for agreement (with weighted κ) on identifying CCMC, as well as persistence of elevated charges and utilization from 2016 to 2019. Agreement of assignment PPMC was lower among primary care provider (PCP) populations than among other children traversing the health system for specialty or hospital services only (weighted κ 62% for PCP vs. 82% for non-PCP). The PPMC classification scheme, displaying greater precision in identifying CMC with persistently high utilization and charges for those who receive primary care within a large integrated health network, may offer a more pragmatic approach to selecting children with CMC for longitudinal care management.

Pragmatic estimates of the proportion of pediatric inpatients exposed to specific medications in the USA.

PURPOSE: To provide pragmatic national estimates of the proportion of hospitalized pediatric patients exposed to specific drugs in the USA. METHODS: We used Premier Perspective Database and the Pediatric Health Information System data including specific drug exposures of 1.15 million inpatients <18 years old in 411 general and 52 children's hospitals throughout the USA in 2006, extrapolating this information into the probability-based Kids' Inpatient Database, which has demographic and clinical characteristics but no drug exposure data. We used a multivariable stratified resampling (MSR) technique to estimate the proportion of drug exposure for the 700 most commonly used drugs and performed additional stability and sensitivity analyses for 19 drugs. RESULTS: The estimated proportion of pediatric inpatients exposed to specific drugs in 2006 ranged from high levels such as that of acetaminophen (17.36; 95%CI: 17.32, 17.41) to rare exposures such as bosentan (0.0018; 95%CI: 0.0013, 0.0023). Additional analyses for 19 drugs revealed that the MSR estimates were close to estimates generated by multivariable multiple imputation, with a maximum absolute difference of 0.03 for acetaminophen (17.36 vs. 17.33) and famotidine (1.90 vs. 1.93), and that even with 50% of the hospitals removed at random, the proportion estimates did not vary by more than 2.5-fold at the upper 97.5 percentile. CONCLUSIONS: These pragmatic national estimates of the proportion of pediatric inpatient drug exposures, generated using an MSR technique, provide a context for interpretation of drug-related adverse event reports and prioritization of pediatric pharmacology research.

Underinsurance Among Children With Special Health Care Needs in the United States.

Importance: A rise in pediatric underinsurance during the last decade among households with children with special health care needs (CSHCN) requires a better understanding of which households, by health care burden or income level, have been most impacted. Objective: To examine the prevalence of underinsurance across categories of child medical complexity and the variation in underinsurance within these categories across different levels of household income. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study used data from the National Survey of Children's Health and included 218 621 US children from 2016 to 2021. All children included did not reside in any type of institution (eg, correctional institutions, juvenile facilities, orphanages, long-term care facilities). Data were analyzed from January 2016 to December 2021. Exposures: The primary exposure is a categorization of child health care needs constructed using parent-reported child physical and behavioral health conditions, as well as the presence of functional limitations. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome variable is underinsurance, defined as absence of consistent or adequate health insurance. Models were adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and stratified by household income. Multivariate logistic regression analysis of pooled cross-sectional survey data across multiple years (2016 to 2021) adjusted for complex survey design (weights). Results: In a total sample of 218 621 children who were not in institutions and were aged 0 to 17 years from 2016 to 2021 (105 478 [48.9%] female; 113 143 [51.1%] male; 13 571 [13.0%] non-Hispanic Black children; 149 706 [51.2%] non-Hispanic White children), underinsurance prevalence was higher among the children who had complex physical conditions (3316 [37.0%]), mental or behavioral conditions (5432 [38.1%]), or complex physical conditions and functional limitations (1407 [40.7%]) or mental or behavioral conditions with limitations (3442 [41.1%]), compared with healthy children (ie, children without special health care needs or limitations) (52 429 [31.2%]). The association between underinsurance and complexity of child health care needs varied by household income. In households earning 200% to 399% federal poverty level (FPL), underinsurance was associated with children having complex physical conditions and limitations (OR, 2.74; 95% CI, 2.13-3.51) and mental or behavioral conditions and limitations (OR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.87-2.62), compared with healthy children. In households earning 400% or more above FPL, children's mental or behavioral conditions and limitations were associated with underinsurance (OR, 3.31; 95% CI, 2.82-3.88) compared with healthy children. Conclusions and relevance: In this cross-sectional study, the odds of being underinsured were not uniform among CSHCN. Both medical complexity and daily functional limitations led to increased odds of being underinsured. The concentration of underinsurance among middle-income households underpinned the challenge of health care financing for families of CSHCN whose incomes surpassed eligibility thresholds for dependent Medicaid insurance.

Home visitation program effectiveness and the influence of community behavioral norms: a propensity score matched analysis of prenatal smoking cessation.

BACKGROUND: The influence of community context on the effectiveness of evidence-based maternal and child home visitation programs following implementation is poorly understood. This study compared prenatal smoking cessation between home visitation program recipients and local-area comparison women across 24 implementation sites within one state, while also estimating the independent effect of community smoking norms on smoking cessation behavior. METHODS: Retrospective cohort design using propensity score matching of Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) clients and local-area matched comparison women who smoked cigarettes in the first trimester of pregnancy. Birth certificate data were used to classify smoking status. The main outcome measure was smoking cessation in the third trimester of pregnancy. Multivariable logistic regression analysis examined, over two time periods, the association of NFP exposure and the association of baseline county prenatal smoking rate on prenatal smoking cessation. RESULTS: The association of NFP participation and prenatal smoking cessation was stronger in a later implementation period (35.5% for NFP clients vs. 27.5% for comparison women, p < 0.001) than in an earlier implementation period (28.4% vs. 25.8%, p = 0.114). Cessation was also negatively associated with county prenatal smoking rate, controlling for NFP program effect, (OR = 0.84 per 5 percentage point change in county smoking rate, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Following a statewide implementation, program recipients of NFP demonstrated increased smoking cessation compared to comparison women, with a stronger program effect in later years. The significant association of county smoking rate with cessation suggests that community behavioral norms may present a challenge for evidence-based programs as models are translated into diverse communities.

Emergency department visits and hospitalizations for injuries among infants and children following statewide implementation of a home visitation model.

To compare hospital-based utilization for early childhood injuries between program recipients and local-area comparison families following statewide implementation of an evidence-based home visitation program, and to describe site-level program variation. Propensity score matching on baseline characteristics was used to create a retrospective cohort of Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) clients and local area matched comparison women. The main outcome, a count of injury visit episodes, was enumerated from Medicaid claims for injuries examined in an emergency department or hospital setting during the first 2 years of life of children born to included subjects. Generalized linear models with a Poisson distribution examined the association between injury episode counts and NFP participation, controlling for other non-injury utilization and stratifying by individual agency catchment area in a fixed effects analysis. The children of NFP clients were more likely in aggregate to have higher rates of injury visits in the first 2 years of life than the children of comparison women (415.2/1,000 vs. 364.2/1,000, P < 0.0001). Significantly higher rates of visits among children of NFP clients for superficial injuries (156.6/1,000 vs. 132.6/1,000, P < 0.0001) principally accounted for the attributable difference in injury visit rates between groups. Among more serious injuries, no significant difference in injury visit rates was found between NFP clients and comparison women. The proportion of children with at least one injury visit varied from 14.5 to 42.5% among individual sites. Contrary to prior randomized trial data, no reductions in utilization for serious early childhood injuries were demonstrated following statewide implementation of an evidence-based home visitation program. Significant program variation on outcomes underscores the challenges to successful implementation.

Association between body mass index and urolithiasis in children.

PURPOSE: The prevalence of obesity and urolithiasis in children has increased with time. We evaluated the relationship between body mass and urolithiasis in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a matched case-control study in a network of 30 primary care pediatric practices. Cases included subjects with ICD-9 codes for urolithiasis and controls were matched on age, duration of observation before the index date and clinical practice. Age and sex specific body mass index z scores at the time of the stone episode were calculated. Continuous body mass index z scores and clinical weight categories were evaluated with covariates, including race, ethnicity, gender and payer status. The OR and 95% CI were calculated using multivariate conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: We identified 110 cases and 396 matched controls, of whom 1.9% and 4.3% were overweight, and 3.7% and 4.5% were obese, respectively. On multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis the continuous body mass index z score (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.63-1.12, p = 0.18), overweight status (OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.01-1.18) and obese status (OR 0.18, 95% CI 0.02-1.40) were not associated with urolithiasis. However, black race (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.15-0.85) and Medicaid payer status (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.24-0.93) were associated with a significant decrease in the odds of urolithiasis. CONCLUSIONS: High body mass was not associated with urolithiasis in our primary care pediatric practice network. However, black race and Medicaid payer status were associated with decreased odds of urolithiasis.

Accounting for multiple births in neonatal and perinatal trials: systematic review and case study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence in the neonatal literature of statistical approaches accounting for the unique clustering patterns of multiple births and to explore the sensitivity of an actual trial to several analytic approaches to multiples. STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of recent perinatal trials assessed the prevalence of studies accounting for clustering of multiples. The Nitric Oxide to Prevent Chronic Lung Disease (NO CLD) trial served as a case study of the sensitivity of the outcome to several statistical strategies. We calculated odds ratios using nonclustered (logistic regression) and clustered (generalized estimating equations, multiple outputation) analyses. RESULTS: In the systematic review, most studies did not describe the random assignment of twins and did not account for clustering. Of those studies that did, exclusion of multiples and generalized estimating equations were the most common strategies. The NO CLD study included 84 infants with a sibling enrolled in the study. Multiples were more likely than singletons to be white and were born to older mothers (P < .01). Analyses that accounted for clustering were statistically significant; analyses assuming independence were not. CONCLUSIONS: The statistical approach to multiples can influence the odds ratio and width of confidence intervals, thereby affecting the interpretation of a study outcome. A minority of perinatal studies address this issue.

The Epidemiology of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in a Pediatric Healthcare Network in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the prevalence and clinical presentation of coronavirus disease 2019 in pediatric patients can help healthcare providers and systems prepare and respond to this emerging pandemic. METHODS: This was a retrospective case series of patients tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) across a pediatric healthcare network, including clinical features and outcomes of those with positive test results. RESULTS: Of 7256 unique children tested for SARS-CoV-2, 424 (5.8%) tested positive. Patients aged 18-21 years had the highest test positive rate (11.2%), while those aged 1-5 years had the lowest (3.9%). By race, 10.6% (226/2132) of black children tested positive vs 3.3% (117/3592) of white children. By indication for testing, 21.1% (371/1756) of patients with reported exposures or clinical symptoms tested positive vs 3.8% (53/1410) of those undergoing preprocedural or preadmission testing. Of 424 patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, 182 (42.9%) had no comorbidities, 87 (20.5%) had asthma, and 55 (13.0%) were obese. Overall, 52.1% had cough, 51.2% fever, and 14.6% shortness of breath. Seventy-seven (18.2%) SARS-CoV-2-positive patients were hospitalized, of whom 24 (31.2%) required respiratory support. SARS-CoV-2-targeted antiviral therapy was given to 9 patients, and immunomodulatory therapy to 18 patients. Twelve (2.8%) SARS-CoV-2-positive patients required mechanical ventilation, and 2 patients required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Two patients died. CONCLUSIONS: In this large cohort of pediatric patients tested for SARS-CoV-2, the rate of infection was low but varied by testing indication. The majority of cases were mild and few children had critical illness.

Inhaled nitric oxide in preterm infants undergoing mechanical ventilation.

BACKGROUND: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants is associated with prolonged hospitalization, as well as abnormal pulmonary and neurodevelopmental outcome. In animal models, inhaled nitric oxide improves both gas exchange and lung structural development, but the use of this therapy in infants at risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia is controversial. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, stratified, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of inhaled nitric oxide at 21 centers involving infants with a birth weight of 1250 g or less who required ventilatory support between 7 and 21 days of age. Treated infants received decreasing concentrations of nitric oxide, beginning at 20 ppm, for a minimum of 24 days. The primary outcome was survival without bronchopulmonary dysplasia at 36 weeks of postmenstrual age. RESULTS: Among 294 infants receiving nitric oxide and 288 receiving placebo birth weight (766 g and 759 g, respectively), gestational age (26 weeks in both groups), and other characteristics were similar. The rate of survival without bronchopulmonary dysplasia at 36 weeks of postmenstrual age was 43.9 percent in the group receiving nitric oxide and 36.8 percent in the placebo group (P=0.042). The infants who received inhaled nitric oxide were discharged sooner (P=0.04) and received supplemental oxygen therapy for a shorter time (P=0.006). There were no short-term safety concerns. CONCLUSIONS: Inhaled nitric oxide therapy improves the pulmonary outcome for premature infants who are at risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia when it is started between 7 and 21 days of age and has no apparent short-term adverse effects. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00000548 [ClinicalTrials.gov] .).

Association of a Targeted Population Health Management Intervention with Hospital Admissions and Bed-Days for Medicaid-Enrolled Children.

Importance: As the proportion of children with Medicaid coverage increases, many pediatric health systems are searching for effective strategies to improve management of this high-risk population and reduce the need for inpatient resources. Objective: To estimate the association of a targeted population health management intervention for children eligible for Medicaid with changes in monthly hospital admissions and bed-days. Design, Setting, and Participants: This quality improvement study, using difference-in-differences analysis, deployed integrated team interventions in an academic pediatric health system with 31 in-network primary care practices among children enrolled in Medicaid who received care at the health system's hospital and primary care practices. Data were collected from January 2014 to June 2017. Data analysis took place from January 2018 to June 2019. Exposures: Targeted deployment of integrated team interventions, each including electronic medical record registry development and reporting alongside a common longitudinal quality improvement framework to distribute workflow among interdisciplinary clinicians and community health workers. Main Outcomes and Measures: Trends in monthly inpatient admissions and bed-days (per 1000 beneficiaries) during the preimplementation period (ie, January 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015) compared with the postimplementation period (ie, July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2017). Results: Of 25 460 children admitted to the hospital's health system during the study period, 8418 (33.1%) (3869 [46.0%] girls; 3308 [39.3%] aged ≤1 year; 5694 [67.6%] black) were from in-network practices, and 17 042 (67.9%) (7779 [45.7%] girls; 6031 [35.4%] aged ≤1 year; 7167 [41.2%] black) were from out-of-network practices. Compared with out-of-network patients, in-network patients experienced a decrease of 0.39 (95% CI, 0.10-0.68) monthly admissions per 1000 beneficiaries (P = .009) and 2.20 (95% CI, 0.90-3.49) monthly bed-days per 1000 beneficiaries (P = .001). Accounting for disproportionate growth in the number of children with medical complexity who were in-network to the health system, this group experienced a monthly decrease in admissions of 0.54 (95% CI, 0.13-0.95) per 1000 beneficiaries (P = .01) and in bed-days of 3.25 (95% CI, 1.46-5.04) per 1000 beneficiaries (P = .001) compared with out-of-network patients. Annualized, these differences could translate to a reduction of 3600 bed-days for a population of 93 000 children eligible for Medicaid. Conclusions and Relevance: In this quality improvement study, a population health management approach providing targeted integrated care team interventions for children with medical and social complexity being cared for in a primary care network was associated with a reduction in service utilization compared with an out-of-network comparison group. Standardizing the work of care teams with quality improvement methods and integrated information technology tools may provide a scalable strategy for health systems to mitigate risk from a growing population of children who are eligible for Medicaid.

Bloodstream infection caused by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in children.

BACKGROUND: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, a multidrug resistant Gram-negative pathogen, has become a more frequent cause of bloodstream infections (BSI). Little is known about development of S. maltophilia bacteremia in children. The objective of this study was to define risk factors and outcomes associated with S. maltophilia BSI in children. METHODS: This was a retrospective case-control study conducted at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia between January 1, 2000 and July 31, 2005. All patients with S. maltophilia BSI were compared with a random sample of patients with non-Stenotrophomonas Gram-negative rod BSI. RESULTS: Fifty-one cases and 103 control subjects were included in the study. The median patient age was 2 years (interquartile range: 1 day-8.5 years). Patients with S. maltophilia BSI were significantly more likely to have a malignancy and be coinfected with other organisms than those with other Gram-negative rod infections. On multivariate analysis, patients with S. maltophilia BSI were more likely to develop their infection in the home setting (adjusted OR, 4.18; 95% CI: 1.44-12.16; P = 0.009). Additionally, prior exposure to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, receipt of steroids or other immunosuppressive medication in the 30 days preceding infection and black race were associated with the development of S. maltophilia BSI. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with Stenotrophomonas maltophilia BSI are more likely to have a polymicrobial infection and develop their infection in the home setting compared with patients with BSI caused by other Gram-negative rods.

A Dedicated Orthopaedic Trauma Operating Room Improves Efficiency at a Pediatric Center.

BACKGROUND: Dedicated orthopaedic trauma operating rooms have improved operating room efficiency, physician schedules, and patient outcomes in adult populations. The purpose of this study was to determine if a dedicated orthopaedic trauma operating room was associated with improved patient flow and cost savings at a level-I pediatric trauma center. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for two 3-year intervals before and after implementation of a weekday, unbooked operating room reserved for orthopaedic trauma cases. Index procedures for 5 common fractures were investigated, including supracondylar humeral fractures, both bone forearm fractures, lateral condylar fractures, tibial fractures, and femoral fractures. To provide a control group to account for potential extrinsic changes in hospital efficiency, laparoscopic appendectomies were also analyzed. For each procedure, efficiency parameters and surgical complications, defined as unplanned reoperations, were compared between time periods. The mean cost reduction per patient was calculated on the basis of the mean daily cost of an inpatient hospital bed. RESULTS: Of 1,469 orthopaedic procedures analyzed, 719 cases occurred before the implementation of the dedicated orthopaedic trauma operating room, and 750 cases were performed after the implementation. The frequency of after-hours procedures (5 P.M. to 7 A.M.) was reduced by 48% (p < 0.001). The mean wait time for the operating room decreased among supracondylar humeral fractures, lateral condylar fractures, and tibial fractures, whereas no significant decrease (p = 0.302) occurred among 2,076 laparoscopic appendectomy cases. The mean duration of the surgical procedure and the mean time in the operating room were not significantly affected. Across all orthopaedic procedures, the mean duration of inpatient hospitalization decreased by 5.6 hours (p < 0.001), but no significant difference occurred among appendectomies. Decreased length of stay resulted in a mean cost reduction of $1,251 per patient. Supracondylar humeral fracture cases performed after implementation of the dedicated orthopaedic trauma operating room had fewer surgical complications (p = 0.018). No difference in complication rate was detected among the other orthopaedic procedures. CONCLUSIONS: A dedicated orthopaedic trauma operating room in a pediatric trauma center was associated with fewer after-hours procedures, decreased wait time to the surgical procedure, reduced length of hospitalization, and decreased cost.

Reduced Radiation in Children Presenting to the ED With Suspected Ventricular Shunt Complication.

BACKGROUND: Ventricular shunt complications in children can be severe and life-threatening if not identified and treated in a timely manner. Evaluation for shunt obstruction is not without risk, including lifetime cumulative radiation as patients routinely receive computed tomography (CT) scans of the brain and shunt series (multiple radiographs of the skull, neck, chest, and abdomen). METHODS: A multidisciplinary team collaborated to develop a clinical pathway with the goal of standardizing the evaluation and management of patients with suspected shunt complication. The team implemented a low-dose CT scan, specifically tailored for the detection of hydrocephalus and discouraged routine use of shunt series with single-view radiographs used only when specifically indicated. RESULTS: There was a reduction in the average CT effective dose (millisievert) per emergency department (ED) encounter of 50.6% (confidence interval, 46.0-54.9; P ≤ .001) during the intervention period. There was a significant reduction in the number of shunt surveys obtained per ED encounter, from 62.4% to 5.32% (P < .01). There was no significant change in the 72-hour ED revisit rate or CT scan utilization rate after hospital admission. There were no reports of inadequate patient evaluations or serious medical events. CONCLUSIONS: A new clinical pathway has rapidly reduced radiation exposure, both by reducing the radiation dose of CT scans and eliminating or reducing the number of radiographs obtained in the evaluation of patients with ventricular shunts without compromising clinical care.

Improving HPV Vaccination Rates Using Maintenance-of-Certification Requirements.

BACKGROUND: Many pediatricians are now required to participate in American Board of Pediatrics Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Part IV programs focused on improving health care quality, but the benefits of participation are unproven. METHODS: Twenty-seven primary care pediatricians from 11 primary care practices participated in a 1-year MOC program for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Participants received education and electronic health record (EHR)-generated performance feedback reports with their rates of captured HPV immunization opportunities (dose given at eligible visit) and those of peers. In each of 3 cycles, clinicians collectively identified a goal for improvement. Rates of captured opportunities among adolescents 11 to <18 years old were tabulated, and statistical process control charts were created to evaluate changes over time among participants compared with 200 nonparticipants. Provider perceptions of the program and time invested were recorded via survey. RESULTS: Participating clinicians missed fewer opportunities for HPV vaccination than nonparticipants. MOC participants significantly increased their captured opportunities relative to nonparticipating clinicians by 5.7 percentage points for HPV dose 1 at preventive visits and by 0.7 and 5.6 percentage points for doses 1 and 2, respectively, at acute visits. There were no significant differences for other doses. The estimated program cost was $662/participant. Of the participating pediatricians, 96% felt the effort to participate was warranted, and half would not have joined the project without the MOC requirement. CONCLUSIONS: Participation in MOC Part IV improved vaccination at modest cost and with high pediatrician satisfaction, demonstrating benefits of the program that may help to inform future initiatives.