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

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.