Provider Use of Corrected Age for Premature Infant Visits
Provider Use of Corrected Age for Premature Infant Visits
The findings of this study regarding the use of chronological and corrected age during the primary care of premature infants in a large university network have implications for all providers who care for premature infants. Despite guideline recommendations to correct age for prematurity, the majority of providers documented use of chronological age instead of a corrected age for premature infants. The use of chronological age instead of corrected age resulted in possible over-identification of developmental delays and dietary changes before the ages recommended for premature infants. This study illustrates the importance of monitoring care to ensure alignment with practice guidelines. As exemplified by this study, the electronic health record may have contributed to the primary care provider's inappropriate use of chronological age by providing this as a default feature, resulting in the need for a provider to take additional steps to correct for prematurity. As the transition to the electronic health record becomes more common, it is important for providers to be aware of how the design of the system can influence patient safety and quality of care.
Conclusions
The findings of this study regarding the use of chronological and corrected age during the primary care of premature infants in a large university network have implications for all providers who care for premature infants. Despite guideline recommendations to correct age for prematurity, the majority of providers documented use of chronological age instead of a corrected age for premature infants. The use of chronological age instead of corrected age resulted in possible over-identification of developmental delays and dietary changes before the ages recommended for premature infants. This study illustrates the importance of monitoring care to ensure alignment with practice guidelines. As exemplified by this study, the electronic health record may have contributed to the primary care provider's inappropriate use of chronological age by providing this as a default feature, resulting in the need for a provider to take additional steps to correct for prematurity. As the transition to the electronic health record becomes more common, it is important for providers to be aware of how the design of the system can influence patient safety and quality of care.
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