OBJECTIVE. The objective of this study was to describe development and implementation of potentially better practices to reduce bronchopulmonary dysplasia in very low birth weight infants (birth weight: 501-1500 g).
METHODS.Results of Breathsavers Group meetings, conference calls and critically appraised topic summaries were used to construct potentially better practices. Implementation plans and experiences were reported by participants and collated.RESULTS. The Breathsavers Group developed 13 potentially better practices, based on published evidence and expert opinion. Participants determined which potentially better practices to implement and implementation methods. Participating NICUs implemented an average of 5 potentially better practices (range: 3-9). The Breathsavers Group also developed a resource kit, identified common obstacles to implementation, and initiated research to define bronchopulmonary dysplasia better.CONCLUSIONS. Multiinstitutional collaboration facilitated development and implementation of potentially better practices to reduce bronchopulmonary dysplasia. (NIC/Q 2002) to help participating NICUs make measurable improvements in care for very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. This collaborative was patterned after 2 previous collaboratives (NIC/Q and NIC/Q 2000). [1][2][3] The essential components of NIC/Q 2002 were (1) evidence-based potentially better practices (PBPs), (2) current methods of quality improvement and adult education, (3) multicenter collaboration, and (4) outcomes measurement. Central to the collaborative were 4 key habits: change, evidence-based practice, systems thinking, and collaborative learning. 3 Of centers that initially participated in NIC/Q 2002, 17 chose reducing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) as a primary objective and joined the Breathsavers Group. One institution dropped out of the collaborative, leaving 16 centers (19 hospitals) that completed the project. One center consisted of 4 separate hospitals that collaborated as a single center. Rates of BPD vary widely among centers, even after adjustment for differences in patient populations. 4,5 A previous report from the original NIC/Q collaborative showed a significant decrease in BPD among participants who focused on reducing BPD rates. 2 The Breathsavers Group believed that they could lower BPD rates by implementing PBPs. The goal was to reduce BPD by 10% in 2003 compared with the baseline year, 2001.
METHODSThe Breathsavers Group consisted of 16 centers (19 hospitals) with Jay P. Goldsmith, MD, Medical Expert; Meena LaCorte, MD, Group Leader; and Debra Miller and Diane Miller, Facilitators. Participating hospitals are listed in the Acknowledgments. One center, Columbus Children's Hospital (Columbus, OH), was closely associated with 3 referral hospitals (Doctor's Hospital West, Riverside Methodist Hospital, and Grant Medical Center). These 4 hospitals worked very closely with each other and participated in the NIC/Q 2002 collaborative as a single center. For the purposes of this report, these 4 hos...