Improving Care at Emergency Department Discharge for Pediatric Patients with Anaphylaxis Using a Quality Improvement Framework

Abstract

Introduction: Anaphylaxis is a potentially fatal systemic reaction that requires prompt recognition and targeted treatment. Despite international consensus and national guidelines, there is often incomplete care for pediatric patients discharged from the emergency department (ED) with a diagnosis of anaphylaxis. Our institution experienced wide variability in discharge planning for patients with anaphylaxis. The goal of our study was to improve care at ED discharge for pediatric patients with anaphylaxis using a quality improvement framework. The specific aims were to increase the frequency of patients diagnosed with anaphylaxis who receive an anaphylaxis action plan at ED discharge from 0% to 60% and to increase referrals to an allergy clinic from a baseline of 61%–80% between October 2020 and April 2021. Methods: Targeted interventions included revisions to the electronic health record system, forging interdisciplinary partnerships and emphasizing provider education. Outcome measures were the proportion of patients receiving an anaphylaxis action plan and an allergy clinic follow-up. The balancing measure was the ED length of stay. Results: The study showed an increase in anaphylaxis action plans from 0% to 34%. Allergy clinic referral rates improved from 61% to 82% within the same period. The average length of stay of 347 minutes remained unchanged. Conclusions: Revising the discharge instructions to include an anaphylaxis action plan and reinforcing provider behaviors with educational interventions led to an overall improvement in discharge care for patients with anaphylaxis. Future work will focus on electronic health record changes to continue progress in additional clinical settings.