Approximately 80% of emergency departments were found to be underprepared for treating pediatric patients, according to a study published Oct. 7 in Health Affairs.
Researchers from Stanford (Calif.) Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, the University of California, Davis, Los Angeles County, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C., and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City evaluated the pediatric readiness of 747 emergency departments across the U.S.
Here are five takeaways from the study:
- The 747 emergency departments chosen for the study came from Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Wisconsin. The mix of size and demographics of the emergency departments are representative of the larger U.S.
- Emergency departments were scored on a scale of 0 to 100. Departments that scored an 88 or higher were considered "highly ready" to treat children.
- Approximately 7.9 million children were treated in the 80% of emergency departments that received a score lower than 88.
- Deaths of young patients could be cut by 42% if emergency departments were more prepared to treat children seeking emergency care, the researchers wrote.
- Emergency department deaths of young patients occur at a rate of 78.03 per 100,000 children.
Read the full study here.