The Status of Quality Improvement Programs for Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury Care in Argentina

Abstract

Trauma quality improvement (QI) programs improve care and outcomes for injured patients. Information about QI programs for pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) is sparse in Latin America. We gathered data on the status of QI programs and activities that encompass pediatric TBI at 15 Argentine hospitals. Data were gathered during 2019 and included hospital characteristics, QI practices, presence of a queryable registry, and use of protocols for TBI care. Level of QI activities was compared between hospital types using Fisher's exact test. Most hospitals had guidelines for pediatric TBI care, including management and/or prevention of intracranial pressure (100%) and central-line-associated infections (87%). Morbidity and mortality meetings or other types of case discussions in which quality of pediatric TBI care was discussed were held by all hospitals, with most (53%) having weekly-monthly meetings, but 27% having rare or annual meetings. Sixty percent of hospitals had adequate data for case reviews (fewer than 25% of cases with essential information missing). Fifty-three percent documented discussions that occurred at these meetings and 53% utilized computerized trauma registries. Larger hospitals (> 200 beds) more frequently had adequate data (88%) for case reviews than smaller hospitals (29%, P=0.046). Hospital size did not affect other QI activities. Most hospitals had guidelines for pediatric TBI care. Adequacy of care was discussed at reasonably frequent case conferences. Opportunities for improvement include increasing documentation of case reviews and improving adequacy of data for case reviews, especially at smaller hospitals. Greater use of computerized trauma registries could provide such data.