Reducing pediatric CT usage through web-based education.

A grant from the AHRA and Toshiba Putting Patients First program enabled Fairview Health System in Minneapolis, MN to launch an interactive education website which provides best practice information for CT usage in head trauma and appendicitis cases. The website, PEMguidelines.org contains educational sections geared toward both clinicians and patients and families. The site provides evidenced based guidelines for the management of head trauma and appendicitis. PEMguidelines.org was rolled out in 2012 as part of a three pronged intervention strategy. A linkto the website was included in new clinical order-sets within the Fairview electronic health system. Clinical decision support aids were also embedded in the medical record system. Fairview held provider education sessions for ED physicians and staff to introduce and promote the new approach. Results from a six month period after the initial roll out indicate a decrease of 15% in abdominal CT scans for suspected appendicitis cases, while the numbers of missed cases did not increase.This initial evidence supports the effectiveness of this multilevel strategy in improving the safety and cost-effectiveness of pediatric CT use in diagnosis of appendicitis.