Pediatric Emergency Care Research Networks: A Research Agenda

Abstract

Background: Pediatric emergency care research networks have evolved substantially over the past two decades. Some networks are specialized in specific areas (e.g., sedation, simulation) while others study a variety of medical and traumatic conditions. Given the increased collaboration between pediatric emergency research networks, the logical next step is the development of a research priorities agenda to guide global research in emergency medical services for children (EMSC).Objectives: An international group of pediatric emergency network research leaders was assembled to develop a list of research priorities for future collaborative endeavors within and between pediatric emergency research networks.Methods: Before an in-person meeting, we used a modified Delphi approach to achieve consensus around pediatric emergency research network topic priorities. Further discussions took place on May 15, 2018, in Indianapolis, Indiana, at the Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM) consensus conference "Aligning the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Research Agenda to Reduce Health Outcome Gaps." Here, a group of 40 organizers and participants met in a 90-minute "breakout" session to review and further develop the initial priorities.Results: We reached consensus on five clinical research priorities that would benefit from collaboration among the existing and future emergency networks focused on EMSC: sepsis, trauma, respiratory conditions, pharmacology of emergency conditions, and mental health emergencies. Furthermore, we identified nonclinical research priorities categorized under the domains of technology, knowledge translation, and organization/ administration of pediatric emergency care.

Research priorities for European paediatric emergency medicine

“…Other topics, such as ‘implementation of knowledge’, ‘pathways of managing ED conditions’ and ‘in-house simulation’ reflect the need to efficiently implement knowledge into clinical ED practice. Dissemination and implementation of evidence-based guidelines for emergent conditions, customised to local practice is important,11 in particular considering the large number of children presenting to European EDs annually and the heterogeneous status of PEM in Europe. This will ensure provision of up-to-date optimal care, reduce variation in practice, improve patient outcome and experience of care as well as optimise resource utilisation.…”

“…We still need to promote inclusiveness of European countries' participation to PEM research to ensure a broad and diverse representation. Furthermore, we need to foster collaboration with patients and their families, for example, to include patient-centred and patient-reported outcomes in future study projects 7 11. This will ensure that the network’s research projects are relevant to both paediatric emergency care end-users and clinicians alike.…”

“…Compared with existing (multi)national networks of English-speaking countries, REPEM is faced with unique challenges related to its high diversity in ED populations, cultures and diversity in delivered health and healthcare systems. Similar to other research networks,2 3 7 10 11 we need to establish our research agenda relevant to PEM in Europe to guide the development of future research projects, which should not be exclusively based on members’ interests and prior work in a specific research field.…”

Review article: A primer for clinical researchers in the emergency department: Part VIII. Implementation science: An introduction

“…Implementation research has been identified as a global research priority for emergency medicine . However, several reviews undertaken to determine the volume and quality of implementation research in emergency medicine have found very limited evidence in general, and in Australasia in particular .…”

“…Implementation research has been identified as a global research priority for emergency medicine. 22,23 However, several reviews undertaken to determine the volume and quality of implementation research in emergency medicine have found very limited evidence in general, and in Australasia in particular. 7,24 Authors have recommended more high-quality rigorous research that uses theory-based approaches to identify the key factors influencing practice variation to inform the design and evaluation of targeted implementation interventions.…”