37 Improving Bronchiolitis Management at B.C. Children’s Hospital: Standardizing Care Through a Pre-printed Order

Abstract

Abstract Introduction/Background Bronchiolitis is the most common cause of hospital admissions during the first year of life. There is significant variation in the management of this disease. Despite supportive care being the hallmark of treatment, investigations and other treatments are commonly prescribed. Standardizing care for bronchiolitis leads to decreased resource utilization and improved patient outcomes. Pre-printed orders can standardize care and improve compliance with evidence-based medicine. Objectives To determine whether a pre-printed order (PPO) would influence length of stay and specific medication use (corticosteroids, antibiotics, bronchodilators) for patients admitted to B.C. Children’s Hospital (BCCH) with a diagnosis of bronchiolitis. Design/Methods We implemented a pre-printed order (PPO) for inpatient management of bronchiolitis at B.C. Children’s Hospital (BCCH), then conducted a retrospective chart review of children admitted to BCCH with a discharge diagnosis of bronchiolitis. We compared primary and secondary outcomes between the pre-PPO (November 24, 2017 to December 31, 2019) and post-PPO (September 22, 2021 to April 12, 2022) periods. The primary outcome was length of stay (LOS) in days, and secondary outcomes included the prescription of specific medications. Results A total of 584 patients were included in the retrospective chart review: 436 patients were from the pre-PPO period and 148 patients were from the post-PPO period. There was no difference in the LOS between the pre-PPO and post-PPO periods: median LOS was 3.00 days (2.00 to 5.00 days) and 3.00 days (2.00 to 5.00 days) in the pre- and post-PPO periods, respectively (p = 0.88). There was a decrease in prescribed antibiotics, from 36.7% to 24.7% (OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.37 to 0.86, p = 0.01). Additionally, there was a decrease in prescribed salbutamol, from 41.5% to 29.3% (OR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.39 to 0.87, p = 0.01). There was no significant difference in rates of PICU admission between the pre- and post-PPO periods (23.6% vs. 26.4%, OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 0.75 to 1.76, p = 0.5). Conclusion The implementation of a PPO for inpatient management of bronchiolitis did not affect length of stay or PICU admissions. However, there was significant reduction in prescribed antibiotics and salbutamol (both reduced in the post-PPO period). Our results suggest that a pre-printed order can improve antimicrobial stewardship and reduce unnecessary medication use, when managing a common paediatric disease. Graph Example for antibiotic/salbutamol and PICU