title: Quality improvement through collaboration: the National Pediatric Quality improvement Collaborative initiative.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The National Pediatric Quality Improvement Collaborative (NPCQIC) was established to improve outcomes and quality of life in children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and other single ventricle lesions requiring a Norwood operation. The NPCQIC consists of a network of providers and families collecting longitudinal data, conducting research, and using quality improvement science to decrease variations in care, develop and spread best practices, and decrease mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Initial descriptive investigation of the collaborative data found interstage care process variations, different surgical strategies, diverse feeding practices, and variable ICU approaches between centers and within sites. Analysis and evaluation of these practice variations have allowed centers to learn from each other and implement change to improve processes. There has been an improvement in performance measures and most importantly, a 39.7% reduction in mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The NPCQIC has shown, in a rare disease such as hypoplastic left heart syndrome that a network based on multicenter collaboration, patient (parent) engagement, and quality improvement science can facilitate change in practices and improvement in outcomes.
authors.affiliation: aChildren's National Medical Center, Washington DC bCincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio cSister's By Heart dChildren's Hospital & Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Clauss
authors.forename: Jeffrey B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lannon
authors.forename: Stacey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lihn
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Beekman
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Kugler
authors.forename: Gerard R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D026683:Advisory Committees; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006801:Humans; D018636:Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D007223:Infant; D058327:Norwood Procedures / Q000592:standards; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000592:standards; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome