Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) is partnering with Rothman Healthcare Corporation in their development of a pediatric version of the Rothman Index. The Rothman Index, currently in use in adult patient populations, quantifies a patient's condition (based on vital signs, nursing assessments and lab results) displayed in a user-friendly graphical format.
“The Rothman Index could be a valuable asset in early detection of declines in patient health. Allowing earlier intervention could have a significant impact on improving quality and reducing risk as well as the cost of care over the course of a child's hospital stay.”
Rothman Index graphs serve as a backup to the expert care of physicians and nurses, providing a historical context for patient care. The Rothman Index can draw attention to gradual but important health declines that can be difficult to detect when a patient is handed off between multiple physicians and nurses. By providing a clear picture of patient health declines, Rapid Response Teams can be deployed much more effectively.
"We are excited to be a part of this innovative venture to help bring the Rothman Index into the pediatrics world," commented Harun Rashid, Chief Information Officer of Children's Hospital. "The Rothman Index could be a valuable asset in early detection of declines in patient health. Allowing earlier intervention could have a significant impact on improving quality and reducing risk as well as the cost of care over the course of a child's hospital stay."
According to James E. Levin, MD, PhD, Children's Chief Medical Information Officer, "Today, our clinicians at the bedside can access a massive amount of data about each of their patients. We believe that advanced tools such as the Rothman Index will transform and display that data to facilitate the team conversations necessary to monitor, plan and improve care, especially at handoffs and transitions. For Children's, the Rothman Index will be the start of fully leveraging our EMR data to set a new standard for pediatric care delivery."
Rothman Healthcare's CEO Michael Rothman said, "The Rothman Index has been improving adult patient quality of care and continuity of care at hospitals across the country. We're eager to continue work on extending the Rothman Index's reach to include pediatric patients. We are excited about our partnership with Children's Hospital, a national leader in the use of cutting edge technology to enhance efficiency as well as patient safety and quality."
Study finds link between impairments in physical function and hospital readmission risk