Quality improvement initiative to impact Golden Hour timeliness using a dedicated delivery team.

Abstract

Golden Hour (GH) care impacts immediate and long-term outcomes for premature infants. We hypothesized that creation of a dedicated delivery team, the Stork Team, would improve delivery of GH care. A GH quality improvement initiative was created for infants born at <32 weeks and implemented in July 2018. Data were collected from GH checklists and the electronic medical record. Following Stork Team implementation there was special cause variation noted in the minute of life (MOL) for administration of dextrose containing fluids and antibiotics. Dextrose containing fluid time improved from 111 to 67 MOL, with an increase in the percentage of patients receiving fluids by 60 MOL. Antibiotic administration improved from 180 to 82.5 MOL. GH checklist completion increased from 77% to 98% and time to isolette closure improved from 88 to 62 MOL. Implementation of the Stork Team was associated with improvements in timeliness of GH care.