Discharge criteria for inpatient paediatric asthma: a narrative systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Criteria-led discharges (CLDs) and inpatient care pathways (ICPs) aim to standardise care and improve efficiency by allowing patients to be discharged on fulfilment of discharge criteria. This narrative systematic review aims to summarise the evidence for use of CLDs and discharge criteria in ICPs for paediatric inpatients with asthma, and summarise the evidence for each discharge criterion used. METHODS: Database search using keywords was performed using Medline, Embase and PubMed for studies published until 9 June 2022. Inclusion criteria included: paediatric patients <18 years old, admitted to hospital with asthma or wheeze and use of CLD, nurse-led discharge or ICP. Reviewers screened studies, extracted data and assessed study quality using the Quality Assessment with Diverse Studies tool. Results were tabulated. Meta-analysis was not performed due to heterogeneity of study designs and outcomes. RESULTS: Database search identified 2478 studies. 17 studies met the inclusion criteria. Common discharge criteria include bronchodilator frequency, oxygen saturation and respiratory assessment. Discharge criteria definitions varied between studies. Most definitions were associated with improvements in length of stay (LOS) without increasing re-presentation or readmission. CONCLUSION: CLDs and ICPs in the care of paediatric inpatients with asthma are associated with improvements in LOS without increasing re-presentations or readmissions. Discharge criteria lack consensus and evidence base. Common criteria include bronchodilator frequency, oxygen saturations and respiratory assessment. This study was limited by a paucity of high-quality studies and exclusion of studies not published in English. Further research is necessary to identify optimal definitions for each discharge criterion.

Thrombophilia testing in a tertiary paediatric hospital: Indications, outcomes and appropriateness.

AIM: The association between inherited thrombophilia and thrombotic disease in children is unclear. As a result, whether expensive thrombophilia tests are indicated in children is a contentious issue. This retrospective study aimed to assess the appropriateness of thrombophilia testing and the associated cost of inappropriate testing at a tertiary paediatric hospital. METHODS: We conducted a search for thrombophilia tests ordered at the Royal Children's Hospital between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2013. Using pathology and clinical records, we collected data relating to demographics, clinical data, indications, requesting departments and impact on patient management. RESULTS: Over the 3-year period, 3867 tests were ordered for 613 patients costing the hospital $102 579. Tests were most commonly ordered by gastroenterology on patients receiving liver transplants, by neurology as part of the stroke protocol, and by cardiology and cardiac surgery for patients anticoagulated on heparin infusions. Testing for thrombosis-related indications was relatively uncommon. Thrombophilia testing only directly affected management in one-third of patients. Overall, 70% of thrombophilia tests ordered were considered appropriate. However, some departments were found to have rates of inappropriate testing in excess of 50%. CONCLUSION: With improvements in thrombophilia testing practices at the Royal Children's Hospital AU$29 645.40 could be saved over 3 years. While there are improvements to be made in this area, in the overall context of the hospital's pathology testing budget, review of other areas such as inappropriate use of low-cost, high-volume tests may be of greater value in reducing the cost of pathology testing.