According to a Feb. 13 press release, a study from Providence, published in the American Journal of Perinatology, supported by the Oregon Health Authority and conducted in collaboration with the CDC, revealed that the integration of a new dynamic electronic medical record (EMR) order set embedded into the routine labor admission and induction order sets improved adherence to National Guidelines aimed at preventing early-onset Group B streptococcal (GBS) sepsis in newborns.
Providence is a not-for-profit Catholic health system with 51 hospitals, across seven states—Alaska, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, and Washington, with system offices in Renton, Wash., and Irvine, Calif.
The press release states that “Despite dramatic declines in early-onset Group B strep (GBS) sepsis over the past three decades, the disease remains a leading cause of life threatening newborn infection. Prior research shows that one or more lapses in adherence to GBS prevention guidelines were identified in a number of cases of neonatal early-onset GBS disease reported by the CDC. Missed prevention opportunities include lack of antibiotic administration, particularly in preterm patients and inappropriate antibiotic choice in mothers with a penicillin allergy.”
Further, “Comparing data before and after the implementation of the order set in more than 10,000 pregnant patients across six hospitals, researchers found a significant improvement in appropriate GBS prophylaxis in patients at highest risk for nonadherence (preterm deliveries and penicillin-allergic patients). The results also exhibit an increase in documentation of allergy severity, a key component in determining appropriate antibiotics choice.”
The improvement since the launch of the project noted with the dynamic order set’s use led to endorsement by the EMR governance body; it has since been rolled out systemwide and is now used in 51 Providence hospitals across seven states.
Providence has the press release.
