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Coordinated efforts needed to start therapeutic hypothermia program into NICU
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Introducing a therapeutic hypothermia program to a neonatal intensive care unit can be successful but requires “sustained multidisciplinary leadership,” according to a recent quality report published in Pediatrics.
Steven L. Olsen, MD, of Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, and colleagues looked at implementing a therapeutic hypothermia program across several hospitals for treating neonatal encephalopathy.
The researchers said using a framework for best practices, they were able to identify certain areas to be monitored and coordinated between hospital staff, including making the hypothermia treatment available within 6 hours of birth, and educating staff about identifying at-risk infants and proper protocols for the therapy.
Despite some challenges, including reporting variability between hospitals, the researchers reported that the framework and a self-assessment report card “proved to be a driving force for change,” and demonstrated that the implementation of these types of therapies can be a success.
Disclosure: Olsen reports no relevant financial disclosures.
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