Spotlight on Pediatric Emergency Care Volume 1, Issue 1, December 2003 Welcome As emergency departments across the country look at differentiating themselves, there is a major trend towards creation of semi- independent pediatric emergency services within community departments. Hospital and physician group leadership are exploring alternatives as they look to enhance emergency services for children in the communities they serve. This exploration is taking place in a very turbulent health care environment- an environment that simultaneously values creation of profitable new service lines, while requiring very close attention to the bottom line. How does emergency care for children fit into this challenging paradigm? There are many reasons that emergency physician groups or hospital leadership may decide to focus on enhancement of emergency care for children. Clearly, if an emergency department is able to distinguish itself in the community as a provider of exceptional pediatric care, that can have far reaching effects for both its broader pediatric business, as well as a positive impact on adult market share. The current medical legal environment is creating increasing pressure to ensure that excellent, evidence-based care is provided for patients of all ages. It can also arise from an integration of good business practice with a genuine desire to enhance pediatric care for their community. Perception is Reality Whatever the reasons, creation of a new pediatric service line as part of a community emergency department requires focused attention to a myriad of issues. Ultimately, what matters is not only the actual quality of the care provided, but the perception of that care by the families served in the new department. For a new, or newly improved, pediatric emergency service line to be truly successful, it is essential to address the quality of pediatric care, focus on customer service, establish family centered care, create administrative structures that support the improved service, ensure appropriateness of physical space and design, and address physician and staff communication concerns. For some institutions, it is critical to create changes in departmental culture to ensure success. While the challenges can be formidable, attention to these details, early in the project, will avoid unnecessary cost and the need for significant redesign down the pike. Our Organization I want to take this opportunity in our first newsletter to introduce our background, philosophy and services. We are dedicated to helping physician groups and hospital leadership create or enhance their pediatric emergency service. I have been working in clinical and administrative leadership positions in pediatric emergency medicine for more than 15 years. My background also includes a Master's degree in Organization Development and Analysis from Case Western's Weatherhead Business School, completion of the physician executive program at the American College of Physician Executives, and a Master's in Public Health from Harvard University. We focus on bringing specific value to our clients, to assist in achieving their goal of improved emergency services for children. When appropriate, our nursing educator and child-life specialist, both with years of focused experience in pediatric emergency care, bring additional specialized expertise to our clients. Our integrated background in pediatric emergency medicine, administrative medicine, and organization development allows us to create uniquely effective solutions to enhance emergency services for children. While we offer support focusing on service line development, our initial goal is to understand each client's specific needs and concerns. We then work collaboratively to address those challenges. This is our passion! Future bi-monthly newsletters will focus on specific areas related to enhancing pediatric emergency care in community emergency departments, as well as primary care physician practices. Take a look around our web site (link to home) for more information on our services, testimonials, various abstracts and links you might find of value. We strongly believe there is a unique opportunity to help organizations improve emergency care for children in the communities they serve, and in so doing, enhance these organizations as well- a true "win-win."