By Jessica Easdale, MD
Background
Acute laryngotracheobronchitis, or croup, is one of the most common respiratory illnesses in young children and a common cause of emergency and urgent care visits. There are clear recommendations for treatment with glucocorticoids and racemic epinephrine if indicated, but studies have shown variance in treatment across hospitals. Often, children are being hospitalized after one or more treatments of racemic epinephrine and then do not require any additional treatments once hospitalized.
In addition to decreasing patients with croup who are hospitalized, other areas for improvement in care for these patients include limiting neck and chest radiographs and viral studies, which ultimately rarely add clinical value.
Project Goals/Aims
- To reduce preventable hospitalizations by 20% from baseline by July 2025
- To reduce not routinely recommended testing by 50% from baseline for neck radiographs, chest radiographs, viral testing, and laboratory studies by July 2025.
- To increase administration of oral dexamethasone to at least 95% by July 2025.
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