Critical cardiac care in children: looking backward and looking forward

Improvement in Multidisciplinary Provider Rounding (Surgical Rounds) in the Pediatric Cardiac ICU: An Application of Lean Methodology

OBJECTIVES

Provider-only, combined surgical, and medical multidisciplinary rounds ("surgical rounds") are essential to achieve optimal outcomes in large pediatric cardiac ICUs. Lean methodology was applied with the aims of identifying areas of waste and nonvalue-added work within the surgical rounds process. Thereby, the goals were to improve rounding efficiency and reduce rounding duration while not sacrificing critical patient care discussion nor delaying bedside rounds or surgical start times.

DESIGN

Single-center improvement science study with observational and interventional phases from February 2, 2021, to July 31, 2021.

SETTING

Tertiary pediatric cardiac ICU.

PARTICIPANTS

Cardiothoracic surgery and cardiac intensive care team members participating in daily "surgical" rounds.

INTERVENTIONS

Implementation of technology automation, creation of work instructions, standardization of patient presentation content and order, provider training, and novel role assignment.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Sixty-one multidisciplinary rounds were observed (30 pre, 31 postintervention). During the preintervention period, identified inefficiencies included prolonged preparation time, redundant work, presentation variability and extraneous information, and frequent provider transitions. Application of targeted interventions resulted in a 26% decrease in indexed rounds duration (2.42 vs 1.8 min; p = 0.0003), 50% decrease in indexed rounds preparation time (0.53 vs 0.27 min; p < 0.0001), and 66% decrease in transition time between patients (0.09 vs 0.03 min; p < 0.0001). The number of presenting provider changes also decreased (9 vs 4; p < 0.0001). Indexed discussion duration did not change (1 vs 0.98 min; p = 0.08) nor did balancing measures (bedside rounds and surgical start times) change (8.5 vs 9 min; p = 0.89 and 38 vs 22 min; p = 0.09).

CONCLUSIONS

Lean methodology can be effectively applied to multidisciplinary rounds in a joint cardiothoracic surgery/cardiac intensive care setting to decrease waste and inefficiency. Interventions resulted in decreased preparation time, transition time, presenting provider changes, total rounds duration indexed to patient census, and anecdotal improvements in provider satisfaction.

The horizon of pediatric cardiac critical care

Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care (PCCC) is a challenging discipline where decisions require a high degree of preparation and clinical expertise. In the modern era, outcomes of neonates and children with congenital heart defects have dramatically improved, largely by transformative technologies and an expanding collection of pharmacotherapies. Exponential advances in science and technology are occurring at a breathtaking rate, and applying these advances to the PCCC patient is essential to further advancing the science and practice of the field. In this article, we identified and elaborate on seven key elements within the PCCC that will pave the way for the future.