Standardization of Antibiotic Management and Reduction of Opioid Prescribing in Pediatric Complicated Appendicitis: A Quality Improvement Initiative

jpedsurg.org

Appendicitis is one of the most common pediatric surgical procedures in the United States. However, wide variation remains in antibiotic prescribing and pain management across and within institutions. We aimed to minimize variation in antibiotic usage and decrease opioid prescribing at discharge for children with complicated appendicitis by implementation of a quality improvement (QI) initiative.

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Article · Nov 2023 · 1 min read

In brief

This quality improvement initiative standardized antibiotic protocols and reduced opioid prescriptions at discharge for pediatric patients with complicated appendicitis. The study addresses practice variation in postoperative management, aiming to optimize antimicrobial stewardship while minimizing opioid exposure in children.

Wide variation exists in antibiotic prescribing and pain management for pediatric complicated appendicitis across institutions.
Quality improvement initiatives can standardize antibiotic usage in pediatric complicated appendicitis cases.
Reducing opioid prescribing at discharge is a key target for improving post-operative care in pediatric appendicitis.
Standardized protocols address both antimicrobial stewardship and opioid reduction simultaneously in surgical populations.

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