Accelerating Improvement: The Pediatric Acute Care Cardiology Collaborative (PAC3) Data Timeliness Project

Background

The Pediatric Acute Care Cardiology Collaborative (PAC3) is a learning network focused on improving acute care cardiology patient outcomes. Data submission timeliness is a vulnerability for PAC3 and most clinical registries, directly affecting collaborative benchmarking, quality improvement (QI) and research projects.

Methods

PAC3 conducted a collaborative-wide QI project addressing data timeliness and efficiency. Data analysis of submitted cases from September 2019 – February 2020 revealed nine “High Performer” centers who submitted cases within 67 days of hospital dicharge (the limit for timeliness) >90% of the time, and eight “High Potential” sites who submitted timely cases <75% of the time. The SMART aim was to increase case submission timeliness in “High Potential” centers from 41% to 80% by December 2020. A secondary aim was for “High Performer” site timeliness to be maintained. During the intervention phase (March-December 2020), PDSA cycles included webinars, facilitated exploratory conversations, data review, and development of a best practice guide (“Getting Started Toolkit”). Onboarded “New Centers” starting in 2020 were also invited to test intervention effectiveness. Balancing measures included data collector job satisfaction and stress, and resubmission rates.

Results

“High Performer” and “High Potential” centers submitted 11,358 cases from November 2019-December 2020. Timely submission rates for “High Potential” centers improved from 40.6% to 74.6% and were maintained at >90% for “High Performer” centers. “New Centers” averaged 92.6% timely case submissions during their first six months. Data collector job satisfaction and stress were not impacted, and resubmission rates did not increase.

Conclusions

PAC3’s multi-center QI project increased data submission timeliness in a large pediatric subspecialty registry. The lessons learned and the Toolkit developed can be applied in other registries to improve data submission efficiency, with resultant improvement in benchmarking, QI, research, length of stay and outcomes.