title: Association between evidence-based standardized protocols in emergency departments with childhood asthma outcomes: a Canadian population-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether children treated in emergency departments (EDs) with evidence-based standardized protocols (EBSPs) containing evidence-based content and format had lower risk of hospital admission or ED return visit and greater follow-up than children treated in EDs with no standardized protocols in Ontario, Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective population-based cohort study of children with asthma. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate risk of outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  All EDs in Ontario (N = 146) treating childhood asthma from April 2006 to March 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one thousand one hundred thirty-eight children (aged 2 to 17 years) with asthma. MAIN EXPOSURE Type of standardized protocol (EBSPs, other standardized protocols, or none).
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospital admission, high-acuity 7-day return visit to the ED, and 7-day outpatient follow-up visit. RESULTS The final cohort made 46 510 ED visits in 146 EDs. From the index ED visit, 4211 (9.1%) were admitted to the hospital. Of those discharged, 1778 (4.2%) and 7350 (17.4%) had ED return visits and outpatient follow-up visits, respectively. The EBSPs were not associated with hospitalizations, return visits, or follow-up (adjusted odds ratio, 1.17 [95% CI, 0.91-1.49]; adjusted odds ratio, 1.10 [95% CI, 0.86-1.41]; and adjusted odds ratio, 1.08 [95% CI, 0.87-1.35], respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The EBSPs were not associated with improvements in rates of hospital admissions, return visits to the ED, or follow-up. Our findings suggest the need to address gaps linking improved processes of asthma care with outcomes.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Montreal Children’s Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: Li
authors: Teresa
authors: T
authors: To
authors: Patricia C
authors: PC
authors: Parkin
authors: Geoffrey M
authors: GM
authors: Anderson
authors: Astrid
authors: A
authors: Guttmann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000379:methods*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009864:Ontario; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies