Development and evaluation of a minimum data set for children with airway support for transfers between acute and post-acute care.
OBJECTIVE
To generate consensus on the reasons why children with airway support transfer between acute and post-acute care; develop a minimum data set to transmit between care settings; and examine transfer reports to determine the frequency of data set content.


METHODS
Two consensus development meetings were conducted of acute and post-acute care professionals to identify reasons for transfer and develop the minimum data set. A content analysis was used to generate the frequency of inclusion of minimum data set elements in the narrative reports of 15 acute to post-acute and 15 post-acute to acute transfer summaries. The observed frequencies were compared with the expected frequencies (95%), as were frequencies between the two groups.


RESULTS
Advanced diagnostic assessment and unexpected changes in medical, surgical and mental health conditions were the primary reasons for transfer from post-acute to acute care. For transfers in both directions, 20 of the 34 data elements were present in <75% of the cases and were statistically different than the pre-set 95% standard. No statistical difference in the occurrence of data elements between transfer directions existed.


CONCLUSIONS
A minimum data set has the potential to reduce redundancy, improve safety and optimize care co-ordination between facilities for children with airway support.
O'Brien
Jane E
JE
Franciscan Hospital for Children, Boston, MA 02135, USA.
Dumas
Helene M
HM
Haley
Stephen M
SM
Peters
Christine Y
CY
D002648:Child; D032921:Consensus; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000451:nursing*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000451:nursing*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires