Fall 2012: National Assessment of Pediatric Readiness Launches in January 2013

POSTED: September 5th, 2013
POSTED IN: Fall 2012,

The Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Program working with representatives from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Emergency Physicians(ACEP), and the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA)has designed a multi-phase quality improvement initiative to ensure that all emergency departments (EDs) are ready to care for children. Called the National Pediatric Readiness Project, it is the first national survey of pediatric readiness in emergency departments across the United States.

The Project includes a national assessment of EDs, immediate feedback in the form of a “Pediatric Readiness” score and gap analysis report; and a clearinghouse of resources to empower EDs to align themselves with the 2009 National Guidelines on pediatric readiness through quality improvement and performance initiatives.

Beginning in January 2013, using a staggered deployment plan, EDs will be invited to access a secure web-based portal and complete a pediatric readiness assessment that is designed to indicate a facility’s pediatric readiness.

The EMS for Children program is utilizing their infrastructure of State Managers to assist in deployment of the assessment, and we are asking our key partner organizations for assistance in identifying champions in each state. Volunteers will raise awareness of the project; encourage ED staff to participate in the assessment; and increase utilization of the free on-line resources available to EDs who embark on quality and performance improvement measures targeted at increasing their readiness score.

We believe that collaboration with national organizations is vital to the success of this project. Specifically we ask that state/regional champions perform the following:

• Champion the Project within your state/region;
• Educate fellow members about the Pediatric Readiness Project and importance of ED participation;
• Encourage your colleagues to complete the assessment;
• Share resources that can improve an ED’s capability to provide appropriate pediatric care; and
• Visit the National Pediatric Website to stay informed about relevant literature, pediatric readiness champions in your state, and the latest news about the Project.
• Link to the Pediatric Readiness Project on state and region ACEP web pages.

If you are interested in becoming a champion in your state or region, please contact Karen Belli or call 301-244-6227.