Connecticut
PrehospitalPediatric Emergency Care Coordination in EMS Agencies: Measuring the Influence, Magnifying the Improvement
Yale University
Principal Investigator: Mark X. Cicero, MD
Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinators (PECCs) are believed to have a positive effect on pediatric prehospital care by ensuring training, education, and resources that establish standards and encourage guideline adherence in EMS agencies. However, many aspects of PECC training and evaluation, as well as the effects of PECCs on health outcomes and EMS agencies, remain unstudied. This project’s goal is to assess the impact of PECC designation on the quality of clinical care, on patient and family-centered outcomes, and to determine the best methods for establishing PECCs among EMS agencies. The project is being conducted in three states: Connecticut, Rhode Island and Colorado. The project objectives include: (1) an assessment of PECCs’ effect on EMS pediatric care and health outcomes; (2) establishing the best methods for assigning PECCs and for execution of their role in EMS agencies; and (3) characterizing the activities and outcomes of an effective PECC and development of an evaluation process to measure effectiveness of a PECC on EMS agencies. Health outcomes to be assessed include ED and hospital lengths of stay, adherence to EMS protocols including medication administration, ED disposition, and response to therapy.
We believe that:
If EMS agencies have a dedicated Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinator (PECC), the quality of care children receive in the prehospital setting will be better, and children will have better outcomes. This project will test that belief, and lead to information about how EMS can do their best work when caring for children.