Abstract
Pediatric emergency patients have unique needs, requiring specialized personnel, training, equipment, supplies, and medications. Deficiencies in these areas have resulted in historically poorer outcomes for pediatric patients versus adults. Since 1985, federally funded Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) programs in each state have been working to improve the quality of pediatric emergency care. The Health Resources and Services Administration now requires that all EMSC grantees report on specific performance measures. This includes implementation of a standardized system recognizing hospitals that are able to stabilize or manage pediatric medical emergencies and trauma cases. We describe the steps involved in implementing Illinois' 3-level facility recognition process to illustrate a model that other states might use to provide appropriate pediatric care and comply with new Health Resources and Services Administration performance measures.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 198-204 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Annals of Emergency Medicine |
| Volume | 54 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 2009 |
Funding
The facility recognition program is supported in part through grant funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. The Illinois EMSC program manager position is funded by the Illinois Department of Public Health. The quality improvement project coordinator who assists the local hospital continuous quality improvement liaisons is funded through a 3-year EMSC/Health Resources and Services Administration Targeted Issues grant. The EMSC data position is funded through the EMSC/Health Resources and Services Administration Targeted Issues grant as well as a grant through the Illinois Department of Transportation. The Facility Recognition Task Force members attend meetings voluntarily, with meeting rooms provided free. The facility recognition site reviewers obtain mileage and honorarium reimbursement from an EMSC/Health Resources and Services Administration State Partnership grant and an Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Hospital Preparedness grant.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Emergency Medicine