Prioritizing Pediatric Readiness: How Proper Preparedness Saves Young Lives

One goal in our healthcare improvement journey is to achieve equitable access to high-quality emergency care for kids, regardless of where that child is physically located. Children have unique characteristics and needs, especially in the emergency setting, and the reality is that not all kids have access to specific pediatric care. In fact, 80% of children receive emergency care in general emergency departments, most of which see fewer than 15 pediatric patients a day. And often, care in adult settings is not specifically geared toward children. 

Listen to our pediatric experts discuss pediatric readiness

In this episode, Katherine Remick, MD, and Kathleen Adelgais, MD, join us to discuss ongoing state and national initiatives addressing pediatric readiness, including the National Pediatric Readiness Project (NPRP) and the Colorado Pediatric Preparedness for the Emergency Room (COPPER) program. Research shows that pediatric readiness results in lower mortality rates among sick and injured kids. 

Dr. Remick is a provider and associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School. She is also the Associate Chair for Quality, Innovation and Outreach within the Department of Pediatrics. In addition, she is co-director of the National EMS for Children Innovation and Improvement Center and the NPRP.  

Dr. Adelgais is an emergency medicine physician at Children’s Hospital Colorado and the project director of the Colorado EMS for Children Program. 

In this episode, our experts discuss:

• An overview of the NPRP 
• The COPPER program and how it aligns with national efforts 
• The importance of system-level improvements 
• The role of pediatric emergency care coordinators 
• What the pediatric readiness score measures 
• Assessing patient outcomes using pediatric readiness scores