Pediatric Informatics: Computer Applications in Child Health (Health ...

Chapter 7
Pediatric Emergency and Pediatric Critical
Care Considerations
Mark A. Del Beccaro, Howard E. Jeffries and George R. Kim
Objectives
To outline information needs, workflow, and communication in pediatric emergency
medicine (PEM) and pediatric critical care (PCC)
To list functions of health information technology tools within PEM and PCC settings
To describe PICU health IT implementation (CPOE) within one pediatric academic
institution
7.1 Introduction
Pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) and pediatric critical care (PCC) provide care
for all children in all states of distress. The primary distinction between the two is
that PEM must be prepared to locate, stabilize, and transfer children in extremis
to appropriate care. Therefore, PEM must extend beyond any single or group of
institutions and into the regional community. Thus, PEM and PCC have similar and
distinct information needs and workflows, many of which are high-risk.
7.2 PEM and PCC: Common Information Needs
Since both PEM and PCC deal with all children in all states of health or distress,
they have common information needs that center on the needs of children.
7.2.1 Core Functionality
Prevention and surveillance: If mortality, morbidity and distress in children can
be prevented by any means (including education, early detection and intervention,
or surveillance/screening), these should be incorporated into a system-wide
approach to providing PEM/PCC services. Included in planning is the creation
C.U. Lehmann et al. (eds.), Pediatric Informatics: Computer Applications 69
in Child Health, Health Informatics,
© Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2009