Abstract
Background Standard methods for obtaining data may delay quality improvement (QI) interventions
including for bronchiolitis, a common cause of childhood hospitalization.
Objective To describe the use of a dashboard in the context of a multifaceted QI intervention
aimed at reducing the use of chest radiographs, bronchodilators, antibiotics, steroids,
and viral testing in patients with bronchiolitis.
Methods This QI initiative took place at Children's Minnesota, a large, not-for-profit children's
health care organization. A multidisciplinary bronchiolitis workgroup developed a
local clinical guideline and order-set. Delays in obtaining baseline data prompted
a pediatric hospitalist and information technology specialist to modify a vendor's
dashboard to display data related to bronchiolitis guideline metrics. Patients 2 months
to 2 years old with a bronchiolitis emergency department (ED)/inpatient encounter
in the period October 1, 2014 to April 30, 2018 were included. The primary outcome
was a functioning dashboard; a process measure was the percentage of ED clinician
logins. Outcome measures included the percent use of guideline metrics (e.g., bronchodilators)
displayed on statistical process control charts (ED vs. inpatient). Balancing measures
included length of stay, charge ratios, and hospital revisits.
Results A workgroup (formed October 2015) implemented a bronchiolitis order-set and guideline
(February 2016) followed by a bronchiolitis dashboard (August 2016) consolidating
disparate data sources loaded within 2 to 4 days of discharge. In total, 35% of ED
clinicians logged in. Leaders used the dashboard to target and track interventions
such as a bronchodilator order alert. There were improvements in most outcome metrics;
however, timing did not suggest direct dashboard impact. ED balancing measures were
lower after implementation.
Conclusion We described use of a dashboard to support a multifaceted QI initiative for bronchiolitis.
Leaders used the dashboard for targeted interventions but the dashboard did not directly
impact the observed improvements. Future studies should assess reasons for low individual
dashboard use.
Keywords
dashboard - guideline - performance
